Without Me
by Glimare
Summary: KF's latest souvenir has finally done it, ruined Robin's day. Now he's gone to an alternate Earth where Robin never existed. Can he get home? How did his life make such a difference for his friends? And for Batman? AU, no OCs, T for paranoia. Sister Story to 'Where's Robin' read that for what is happening back home.
1. Ch 1 An Intruder?

**Disclaimer:** Yes, i'm a miracle worker who makes amazing stories without even trying . Unfortunately, these are not original characters. Everyone here from young justice and so forth belong to DC comics.

Okay, yes I'm working on two other stories of awesomeness, but this idea also flew at me this season. I wasn't planning on posting any of it until I was done, but I read this horrid fanfic these past two nights on Dick (ending sucked and frankly, I would have had Dick deck each of the harassing social workers, plus had Bruce/Batman dig up dirt on the people backing it all) and I'm so mad, I just had to post something to rant and prove yet again that kids are smarter than adults realize and are fully capable of taking charge of their own lives. I believe it's a running theme: Dick would have become Robin whether Batman was involved or not! batman just made certain he survived.

And as I am working on two other series, one directly tied to this one, I won't be updating this one for a while. Gonna focus on 'Slade Plan B' and 'Meeting Robin'. But do know this one is heart wrenching at first, not a real comedy.

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 1 - An Intruder?**

"Really Bruce," Wonder Woman started, "You're just being paranoid."

"Am I?" Batman gave all of them one of his famous glares before returning the founding members of the League to the real dilemma. "Lex Luthor conducting peace talks in Melasia while Ra's sends one his assassins to take him down, only for Luthor's body guard to take out a few thugs who slipped past Green Arrow and Aquaman. Then Kord Industries starts talking to Lex Corp about armaments."

"Batman's right," Superman interjected. "Looking into Theodore Kord and his company might help make sense of everything."

"But we hardly know anything about Ra's and why he wanted to stop the peace talks," Hal piped in. "I thought he was all about making the world a better place, just using really horrible methods."

"He wants a world wide cleansing," Batman reiterated, his tone reminding them all he thought they were idiots. "To shape the world into his utopia. A constant war in Melasia would bring about millions of deaths, maybe even escalate to another world war."

"And we're looking into Kord… why?" Hal continued. "He doesn't seem like a bad guy, just trying to make a buck. And he's working on the defensive part of war isn't he? Body armor and all that."

"We aren't sure what he's planning," Superman interceded. "Kord may be an innocent, or he could be working for Luthor towards a more diabolical end."

"Luthor's profits are about all he cares about," Batman insisted. "Kord is equally as powerful and dangerous if he puts his mind—"

An ear splitting snap filled the cave, putting every person in it on alert, grapping their weapons and jerking themselves into fighting stances. What they saw though stunned them further. A boy flew backwards across the room away from them as if thrown by an explosive blast. Before he could hit the far wall, the kid turned into a backwards flip, landing into a crouch to stop himself from moving any further.

"NICE GOING KID KLUTZ!" The angry shout from the boy shocked them out of their fighting mind set. They stared at the boy, trying to figure him out. He couldn't be older than fourteen, maybe thirteen. Wiry built and his muscles well toned, they could tell he was an acrobat and a fighter. His hair black and his skin fair, they couldn't see his eyes because of his mask. What he wore floored him. A red tunic and black tights, similar in design to Batman's uniform. A utility belt hugged his waist and black glove and boots covered his ands and feet. His black cape had yellow on the inside, and in different vital locations they could see an extra layer of armor.

He looked like he could be one of them, if he were older.

"I told you not to mess with it! Ah crap!" The boy staggered slightly to his feet, rubbing his eyes and ears. "Blind and deaf! What was that thing? Some alien concussion bomb? Don't you dare touch it again Wally!"

The league continued to gape at the young intruder. He hadn't set off any alarms and had seemingly appeared out of no where. Furthermore, he was making no move to harm them. Rather, he seemed annoyed at something, or someone.

"Wally?" Flash whispered slowly, a twinge of worry coming to his face.

"Oh you better hope this isn't permanent. You're _so_ gonna get it later. Ah, ringing. Good. That should be back to normal soon. Ow." The kid rubbed his ears more than his eyes now, wincing slightly from the twinges of pain in his head.

"Manhunter," Batman barked and the Martian nodded. Quickly their psychic used his powers to raise the kid off the floor so he couldn't run away. Both of them approached the boy with Superman just behind them, more bewildered than angry at the arrival.

The kid groaned. "M'gann, I'm not hurt. I don't need help, just a few minutes. Ringing's nearly gone. Green koolaid, maybe blue." The last part was only audible to Superman, making him blink. Why was he trying to hide anything about koolaid?

"Who are you?" Batman demanded first. The kid obviously couldn't hear him, still wincing from his senses reeling. The Bat's glare told them all he didn't want this inconvenience at all. And how this kid managed to get past all their defenses was troubling.

"Put me down," the kid whined slightly, opening and closing his mouth to alleviate the pressure in his ears. Manhunter didn't make any attempt to listen to the boy, which only made the kid sigh, exasperated. "I'll be good and sit for a bit, 'kay? But just floating in mid air is disconcerting. Either zip me around the room or put me back on the ground."

"Who are you?" The Martian demanded. This time the kid heard the question, and groaned again.

"I didn't hit my head J'onn," a twinge of annoyance in his voice. Everyone blinked, taken back at the casual use of Manhunter's real name. "No concussion, no memory loss. Waaaiiiit… when did you get here?"

The kid gave him a confused look, letting go of his ears at last to work on his eyes. Since they were hiding behind a mask with white lenses, it was quite a bit more difficult than his ears. He must have been blinking and wincing rabidly behind it. "Did I miss something? I thought Batman was going to check out that gizmo first, or Flash and Blue Beetle. Did Meg's call you? Please tell me you didn't sneak in during that blast. It might have damaged the Zeta-tubes.

"Should check it when we get the chance." He rubbed his eyes one last time before looking around the room. It was clear by his expression he still couldn't see everything, but he could see something, mostly the angry Martian and Bat before him. His confusion seemed to grow. "Um… can I come down now?"

"Answer the question punk," Batman snarled.

"Um… what?" Complete confusion covered his face as he looked at Batman. To everyone's surprise the kid wasn't even the slightest bit afraid of Batman and his deathly glares.

"Who are you?" Batman repeated, giving the kid a glare even the Joker wilted at.

The kid just seemed more confused. "I'm not hurt, just a little disorientated. When did you get in? We just made the call."

He peaked around Batman to the rest of the league, then around the room as if looking for someone in particular. "This is weird. Where is everyone? Did they go flying too or something? And why are the founding League members here? I thought the cave was our hang out these days. HEY!"

Batman yanked the kid by his collar to his face, baring down on him with a menacing growl. "Answer the damn question punk."

The kid blinked at him, not scared but really confused. "Robin. Your partner. Why are you interrogating me like this?"

"I don't have a partner."

The kid, Robin, gave him a slightly incredulous glare before leaning to the side to look at Superman. "Okay Clark. How did he lose his memory this time?"

"What?" Superman asked, shock coming to his face. This kid knew both his and Martian Manhunter's identities. No one outside that room save their immediate family members knew who they were.

Furthermore, the Batman didn't scare him.

"You're answering to me brat."

Robin gave a heavy sigh, as if this had happened before and he was tired of it. "What was it? A ray gun? Some psychic? Alien tech? I know, Talia snuck something into your mouth while you were kissing! You really shouldn't trust her Bruce."

At his name, Batman's eyes widened dangerously and horror filled the other League members. Enraged, the dark knight threw the lad to the ground, ready to beat him into giving the answers he wanted. It was only the aliens in the room who saved the boy from the raging bat. Martian Manhunter's telekinetic abilities stopped the kid from making contact with the floor and Superman pulled Batman back before his fists when flying.

"WHO ARE YOU? HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?"

"Batman, calm down!" Superman tried his hardest to keep his friend at bay while not hurting him. He feared the kryptonite and stun gun would soon come out. "He's just a kid! There's no reason to hurt him!"

From the corner of his eye, Superman could see the shocked expression on the kid's face. It reminded him of a time a kid was just beaten by his usually kind father. A twinge of worry and fear, along with heartbreak showed clearly on his face. But the kid quickly pulled himself together, mumbling lowly, "Amnesia. So annoying."

"He's not just a kid! He broke in here and knows who we are!" Other members of the league exchanged glances, conflicted with both voices of reason.

The kid pulled himself to his feet, giving a slow exasperated sigh. "Of course I do. You trained me."

"I trained no one!" Batman snarled, his rage bringing him almost to an animal level.

Robin seemed a little pained watching the man trying to claw his way at the boy. He looked at Superman again. "So what did happen? 'Cause we've got a parent-teacher conference coming up, and my English teacher really wants a word with him. Can't say why but he's exta-sistant."

"Extra-sistant?" Wonder Woman murmured to Green Lantern further behind them.

"_Parent_-teacher conference?" GL countered. Everyone but the aliens and the bat looked at each other flabbergasted. An idea was forming in their minds, an impossible idea.

Superman glared lightly at the boy. "Look kid, nothing's wrong with him."

"Phft, I beg to differ," Robin interjected. A twinge of worry grew on his face. "Bruce never loses his cool like that with me. What's wrong with him? What happened?"

"What happened is," Martian Manhunter started, "_you_ appeared out of no where and started saying _you_ were his partner."

Robin looked at him, a bit confused. "Appeared out of no where? I've been here! You're the ones who suddenly popped up while I was blinded and deafened. Where's KF anyway? And M'gann? And Conner, Artemis, Kaldur? Where is everybody?"

"The real question is," Superman insisted, Batman starting to calm down a bit, "who are you and why do you insist you're Batman's partner?"

"Because I am!" Robin's confusion was growing, along with rage and a panic. "I've been his partner for nearly five years! Batman and Robin! The dark knight and his boy wonder! The first child hero to stay in the game long enough to have my own team! You know me! Clark, you're practically my uncle! Bruce is—"

"I don't know you."

Batman's words were dark and level with a twinge of a bite. Robin's eyes met his glare and for the first time the kid showed fear on his face. Fear and heartbroken panic. Batman left Superman's grip to loom dangerously over the boy, no pity on his face, only dark rage.

"I've never seen you before in my life. I would never have a child partner, a protégé or a sidekick. You are an intruder, plain and simple."

Robin froze, his face paling so rapidly anyone around him would think he was about to faint. Superman could hear the boy's heart stop for a moment, causing him to really watch the kid's face. He could see the beaten child again, but also the one who was abandoned by the person they loved most.

"Batman…" He said weakly, almost pleading. It was enough to break the coldest of hearts.

The dark knight's eyes narrowed before he turned away from the boy, his cape's fluttering sound filled the room.

The kid fell to his knees, staring after the caped crusader desperately. He shook weakly, his earlier energy gone. Superman knelt next to him and could tell the kid was about to cry, but held it back as he gaped at the man he said he knew so well. Martian Manhunter also stood closer to the boy, mentally scanning him to learn the truth from him.

What he heard repeatedly from the boy's mind shook him deeply. The kid's emotions were clearer than his thoughts. A heart wrenching pain, as if all his internal organs were scraped out of his body, welled within him.

_He doesn't know me. They don't know me. He doesn't know me. None of them know me. Batman doesn't know me. Bruce doesn't know me. My dad doesn't know me._

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><p>AN: Yes, this is still young justice. This is still our favorite Robin. This is just him going into an alternate universe as it will explain in the next chapter. We'll be going back and forth from Robin's POV to different members of the League, the ones I deem closest to him. The AU isn't that far off from his own. it's just missing him.

Yes it's kinda like it's a wonderful life. You will soon see exactly how much Robin means to his world. References to 'Meeting Robin' and 'Get Back up', plus a few others will be made. Kinda writing how I want the whole next season to play out I guess. ^^;

Oh, and I've already referred to Blue Beetle/Ted Kord in 'Get Back Up' and 'Birdsitting'. If you want to know more about him, look him up. He's a minor hero in some ways, but cool in others. And I've got a story timeline on my Profile if you want to know what order to read these things in.


	2. Ch 2 What I Can Figure

**Disclaimer:** All Hail DC comics and their awesomeness! for they have made a story of woah! I merely wish to borrow some characters from them from time to time.

YAY! Thanks everyone for being patient and waiting until now! Because of your patience, and your awesome comments regarding this one, there is a sister story paralleling this one for his team in Earth16! And... I'm up to chapter 17 writing this one, and 7 on the other one. Check out 'Where's Robin?' for details. *grins* so there will be quite a few more updates from me, Plus a few hiccups because i'll need help with different parts. Feedback is my lifeblood. See bottom for details.

Rambling's done. READ DANG IT! READ ROBIN'S TRAUMA! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 2 - What I can figure**

Robin was having a hard time pulling himself together. All around him were familiar faces, people he's known well for the past five years.

He met Superman first; Clark had taken him flying and told him stories so many times when he was little. Flash was next; his nephew Wally was his best friend. Then Green Arrow with Speedy; they were always near by when he really needed help, and he helped their relationship whenever he could. The rest of the League soon followed. Hal taught him the basics of flying an aircraft when Batman wasn't around. King Orin taught him strategy in case there was a war, but also told him of the wonders of the sea. J'onn used to laugh at the silly games and puns he'd make to protect his mind from psychics while they ate Oreos. John told him about architecture and about the Marines. Diana gave him a good review on political battles along with mythology, giving him a respect for her people. Dinah was one of his teachers with his team, listening to his emotional problems when he actually admitted he had them. Red Tornado couldn't be seen in the room.

And then there was Batman.

There weren't enough words in the world to describe everything the man had taught him, meant to him. Bruce took him in when he needed him most. He wasn't the best parental figure, but he did what he could. He had officially adopted him not too long ago, having been his ward up 'til then. They had grown close, so close there was no denying they were family. Dick kept his family name, but allowed Wayne to be added onto official documents now. He loved his second father almost as much as his first.

And yet in this room, despite knowing each and everyone of these people so well he thought of them as family, not a single soul knew him. Not even Batman.

The emptiness filling him was familiar, but back when his parents died in front of him, he still had a family around him. The circus just didn't have the legal power to take him in. Bruce did, and helped him make a new family. Now that family, every one of them, looked at him as if he was a complete stranger. They never looked at him like this before. They had all heard about him before meeting him, and warmly accepted him within two meetings.

Batman never glared at him like that before. Not even when he had amnesia.

Robin had seen the glare and the terrorizing tactics quite a few times over the years, so they didn't scare him. It was actually funny seeing the looks on the other person's face. They didn't know how quickly Batman would release them or leave them cuffed up once they told them what he wanted to know. They didn't know how easy it was for the boy next to him to make him smile. All they saw was the big scary bat.

But he knew Batman's warmth, his kindness. He knew what drove him to such ends and he knew how much the man was hurting every day. He knew how kind and amazing Bruce really was. He was a very protective father, and Gotham was his to safeguard. Batman was merely trying to make the place safer for everyone. For Robin.

And yet, for the first time, Robin was on the receiving end of Batman's most vengeful glares. His voice was final. He really didn't know Robin. He saw him as a threat. There was no sense of kindness underneath the surface. It was as if…

Robin never existed at all.

His mind finally grasped this thought, bringing him slowly out of his stupor. Often in the past, different League members would say Batman was harder to deal with before he came around. He was darker, broodier, far more reckless and dangerous. He had little compassion on criminals and would likely sacrifice team members just to get the job done. It was something Robin knew about, but never fully witnessed.

He had heard of one time when the founders went to an alternate universe to save every reality from evil versions of themselves. Batman was said to be responsible for two of the syndicate member's deaths, though he didn't kill them outright. He finished the mission no matter what. Afterwards, Robin remembered how broody Bruce was at home. He didn't even like his tactics; he just did what he had to.

Flash did say though that Batman made certain he didn't die. He called Barry slow, and in doing so made certain he didn't succumb to the fate the evil speedster received.

Clark told Dick that without Robin, Batman would have become even darker, more reckless and unable to keep on the straight and narrow. He was Bruce's life line. Back then he didn't believe it. Now it had to be the only logical explanation.

His mind finally managed to leave the darkness he felt when this Batman stated his reality. Robin looked around and realized what his state was now. While in his stupor, someone had taken his belt, gloves and boots, places Batman and he kept their gear. His hands were tied behind his back over his cape. Cuffs. They weren't Batman's but that didn't matter. They weren't on super tight and he wasn't planning on escaping. He needed answers first.

Beside him stood Black Canary and Martian Hunter. Canary hadn't changed much, but she wasn't giving Robin any leeway either. Manhunter though, he seemed slightly troubled. It was likely he had read Robin's mind while he was still in shock. The Martian was always kind hearted, so probably talking to him was best. Clark would work too, but he was busy debating something with Batman and the rest. Whatever crisis was going on had to be important.

One glance at Batman nearly put Robin back into a dreadful panic, but he managed to pull away and concentrate on his breathing. Yes, a technique Bruce had taught him to calm him when he had nightmares. Maybe this Batman would recognize it too. He pushed the thought aside and looked around the room again.

It was the cave at Mount Justice, pure and simple. He recognized nearly every nook and cranny of the place. Even before their foes had run them out of the place, Robin used to sneak over to visit different League members and work out while waiting on Batman. He got a lot of homework help there too.

The computer systems were the same as he remembered, exactly. It was a little off though. When he first went to the cave, they didn't have the holopad keyboards. It was a recent update for the kids to use. These people had the same tech as his team.

"What's the date?" Robin asked quietly, not wanting to interrupt whatever they were talking about.

Black Canary looked back at him, surprised to hear him talking again. How long had he been out of it? J'onn answered his back turned, "January 20th, 2012."

Robin nodded, confusion settling into a thinking glare. It was the same day to him. That took out time travel. So this wasn't a League who hadn't met him yet, it was a League where he just didn't exist. An alternate universe. At least they weren't the kind to just kill him. That bode well for him.

Slowly he thought back to his last mission, then to the accident that followed. Oh boy, if he ever got back home to his Batman and his Wally, he was going to sucker punch the yellow speedster. Him and his stupid souvenirs! Did he have to tinker with it? "Stupid Wally."

"Are you ready to talk kid?" Black Canary turned fully to face him, her arms crossed critically.

Robin nodded slowly. "To you. I don't think I can take another Bat-glare right now." His voiced cracked and he knew the misery in it. He couldn't taste salt on his lips so he was certain he hadn't cried in front of them, but he was still dehydrated. "Can I have some water? It can be from a bottle if you want."

The woman wasn't about to comply, but Flash was there in a second with a bottle. He helped Robin drink from it, compassion on his face. Robin could guess he saw Wally in him, and that was why he was being so kind. "Thanks," he whispered when the bottle was drained.

Flash smiled kindly. "No sweat. You look like you've been through a lot."

He bit back a laugh. "No kidding."

"So," Canary continued, "who are you?"

He sighed. "I'm Robin. And in my universe, I'm Batman's partner."

"Your universe?" Skepticism dripped from her voice.

Robin nodded. "Best I can figure, Kid Flash pressed the wrong sequence of buttons on this weird piece of alien tech and set it off. A blast from it hit me and threw me into a parallel dimension, a reality slightly different from my own. One where I didn't become Batman's partner."

"Why did Batman take you in?" Flash asked curious.

Robin hesitated to answer. The truth was always hard. "He… he was there when… my parents died. I was sent to an orphanage and then he…" Why was it so hard to tell him this time? One glance at the Batman of this world reminded him. Back then, Bruce had his back, supported him. Now, his foundation was gone.

He took a breath before continuing. "Bruce took me in, raised me. I found the bat-cave about a month after and begged him to help find Zucco, to bring him to justice. I was going to go out on my own anyway, so he was kinda… forced… to help me. A few months later I kinda forced my way into the crime fighting community and he decided to train me to make certain I didn't die on the streets of Gotham. Been together ever since."

The two meta-human leaguers looked at each other, surprised at his story. Questions still plagued their faces. "But why… why would Batman take any child in?"

"I don't know." Robin closed his eyes, always troubled by this question. He asked Bruce before. Everyone seemed to ask him at one time or another. Why did he take Dick in? Was it penance? Because he saw himself in the boy? What was the real reason?

"But," Robin continued, "everyone's said it was the best thing he's ever done. For me, for him, for Gotham, for the world. He's never regretted it. He saved me back then, and Bruce was always there for me when I needed him most."

He did his best not to look at the Batman there. It hurt. To know the one person he trusted more than anyone in any world, didn't know him, nor wanted to know him. The Leaguers before him exchanged compassionate glances before looking on the kid again. Robin was never good at hiding his true feelings. Pain welled inside him, and he fought against the darkness once again.

"You're delusional."

Robin refused to look up at the voice, knowing already how he was looking at him. The others turned and met Batman's glare. He and the rest of the League were listening in, and he wasn't the slightest bit amused by Robin's tale.

"He's not."

Everyone but Robin looked at J'onn. His stony face glared back at the dark knight. "He hasn't lied once, and if you would just listen to his thoughts—"

"Don't even try it," Batman growled.

"I don't have to." J'onn gestured to Robin and his bowed, defeated head. "One look at this boy should tell you all you need to know. Until you hatefully declared not knowing the boy, he was as calm and casual with us as anyone of our allies. His uniform is made of the same material as your own. His body is well trained to fight us all if need be, yet he stays still because despite everything crashing down around him, he still believes in us.

"And he still believes in Batman."

Slowly Robin looked up at J'onn, hope rising in him. Normally he'd hate it if J'onn went through his mind but this time the Martian's delicate probing was appreciated. Deep down, he really did still believe in the Justice League. He'd always believe in Batman. This was everything to him.

"He's a threat," Batman stated flatly. "He knows too much. We have nothing on him. Every scan, every search, has turned up nothing on this 'Robin'. For all we know, Luthor or Ra's brainwashed this punk into believing he's one of us."

"That can't be right," Flash insisted, giving his own version of the bat-glare. "He's just a kid! Who would involve kids in any of this?"

"Sportsmaster did," Green Arrow piped in, a grim line forming on his lips. Canary nodded, but glanced once to Robin, not sure what to make of him. Robin watched them all, seemingly gaining courage as he listened.

"Besides that maniac."

"Flash and J'onn are right," Superman finally piped in. "He's just a boy, a lost little boy who's very confused at the moment. If we give him some time, he may be able to tell us everything that happened to him."

"For someone so confused, he sure came up with a decent story," Hal noted. John nodded too. Diana seemed to be reserving judgment. "Might be worth looking in to."

"So he's the victim? Somehow I doubt that." Batman's skepticism and glares brought out everyone else's. They were all fighting each other again, but kept it to glares for the moment.

Slowly while the others had their glare down, Robin shifted the cuffs behind him and tugged the chains under his seat. Flash saw his movements as did others, so he stopped and looked at them. "If I may? Sitting back isn't easy with your hands tied behind you."

No one stopped him, though many (mostly Batman) glared dangerously. So he continued to bring his hands behind his legs and over his feet before settling his back against the wall. The bench he sat on wasn't very comfortable. Bit tired, he rested a moment before reaching up to his mask. The adults blinked in surprise as he took it off, revealing his clear sky blue eyes.

Batman stared at him, not glaring for once. Dick knew that look. A twinge of annoyance came to his voice. "Oh, so now you recognize me?"

Everyone stared between them, glares turning into confusion. Batman's lips tightened, but he nodded slightly.

Dick didn't move. He knew what that face meant. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

Slowly and grimly, Batman nodded again. The kid sighed. "With my parents or while going after Zucco?"

The league members watched in anticipation. Over half of them knew this revelation would decide the kid's fate soon enough. If Robin gained his OK, then the whole League would listen and help him out. Finally Batman answered. "Who's Zucco?"

Dick gripped his face in pained frustration, taking control of his breathing again. With his parents then. "Tony Zucco. Their… our deaths weren't an accident. Zucco tampered with the lines. He threatened Mr. Haley the day before. I was a witness and I saw him leave the tent the day it happened."

Batman nodded, the dark edge leaving his face. Quickly he returned to his computer, and Robin replaced his mask, closing his eyes to control his breathing. The remaining League members looked between the two, not quite understanding what was going on. "Um, Batman?"

"He's either a very well trained clone or he's telling the truth." The dark knight didn't look at any of them. "You handle him until I have enough data."

Instantly the room warmed up, Flash and Superman grinning at Robin. "Hear that kid? You're not a threat!"

Robin gave a quick, breathless laugh, shaking his head. "Nope. Still a threat, just a strange one he can't figure out yet."

"You really do know Batman don't you?" Diana pointed out. Robin could only give her a weak, knowing smile.

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><p>AN: YAY! Robin is now safe! Just not home. catch the reference to Crisis on two worlds? I'm gonna say that's Barry in that movie, not Wally. same animation style after all. Also, I'm not really certain why Bruce took Dick in. The reason is kinda muddled, but I think everyone agrees it was the best thing he ever did.

now for the help I was talking about. I've kinda hit a few walls with a few stories. Running three series here. All the help and ideas would be great.

1- Slade Plan B: need names and positions of people in Haley's circus. Just a little background and really my usual sources online aren't helping.

2- Where's Robin?: How does Roy find out? Bit merky here. =/

3- Without me: need a world wide crisis the whole league would have to take care of that can be handled in a single afternoon, like the whole blocking out the sun mission or the injustice league's plants. Must have people from Belle Reve and Injustice society. Need to empty their base for a few hours so teens can run around unsupervised. No aliens. Ideas?


	3. Ch 3 Accomodations

**Disclaimer:** why do we have these things? seriously it's called fanfiction for a reason. *sigh* well I don't own anything from Young Justice, not even a drop. But if DC comics wishes to hire me, I'm all for it! =D

Thanks everyone for the ideas! Still could use a great 'get the whole league out of the house scenario, no aliens' idea for this one, but i think Roy's coming into the story's been solved on 'Where's Robin?' More Haley's circus names would be great too.

Now that Robin's no longer considered a threat, he needs a place to sleep. Flash and Superman are in his corner the most obviously, but were going to see how many changes there are between worlds now because of one little boy in the dark knight's life, first on a few people's personal level

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 3 – Accommodations**

It was a few minutes more before the handcuffs came off. Turned out to be Dinah's. Robin looked between her and Ollie as he rubbed his wrists. There wasn't a drop of affection between them, so either they weren't ever a couple or had a really bad break-up. He bet on never a couple.

"Can I get my shoes back?"

Canary gave him a sizing look before shaking her head. "If you really are Batman's kid," both Batman and Robin twitched at her statement, "then I know you've got something hidden in them."

Robin shrugged. "But it kinda sucks walking around barefoot. Did you have to take my socks too? Who took my gear any way?"

"Weren't you paying attention?" She folded her arms suspiciously.

"Not really."

"Canary," Flash intervened, "the kid's whole world went black. Imagine if no one knew who you were, and your mom didn't recognize you?"

Both Gothamites twitched again, though Batman was trying to ignore the conversation. Robin was just trying to find a way to not think of this Batman as his Batman. Maybe he'd just call this one Batman and his Bruce. Yeah, that should work. Or not.

Canary rolled her eyes. "Hard to believe since we looked exactly the same."

Robin looked away, pretending not to know nor care about Dinah's past. Flash just seemed a little confused. To save them both, he decided to change the subject. "Never mind. I'll just borrow someone else's for a while."

"Whose Shrimp?" Green Arrow joined the conversation, eyeing the kid suspiciously. Robin looked up and down the archer, and deducted this one's life was quite a bit different from his GA. There was no compassion on his face either. "You're not exactly in our league."

"I'll get him something," Flash insisted, glaring slightly. Robin looked at the scarlet speedster and noted how similar he was to his best friend's uncle. There was a harder edge when dealing with the League, but the regular Barry Allen when he spoke to Robin. Clearly his life didn't differ much from the Flash he knew. A wedding band was still under his glove, so Wally probably was still his nephew. Where he was at the moment would remain unasked until later. "So stop picking on him."

GA threw up his hands in his defense. "Hey hey, if the big guns say he's okay, I'm good with that. Just don't turn your back on the stick boy. Last one I did shot me in the back."

Robin rolled his eyes and sighed to the side. Ollie probably earned it. Roy hated being picked on by the older archer. Another person he'd have to find out about later. He hadn't missed GA's comment about Sportsmaster using kids earlier. Artemis was likely with her dad. That was saddening. The girl worked so hard in his world to escape him.

"I doubt he's going to shoot us any time soon." The boy wonder looked back up to Flash's face and knew he was getting ready to argue with the archer. He had to detour them again.

"I wear a size six and a half mens." The adults looked at him again, some surprised he wasn't angry at them for the comments. Truth be told, Robin heard half of it before from Oliver. He was small, and thin. Several people pointed it out over the years. He just accepted it and waited for his growth spurts in the coming years. He was bound to be as tall as his dad. "But I might need a half size bigger. Pants, about size ten, boxers, and medium shirts. Long sleeves work fine. And mind picking up a pair of sunglasses? I feel weird without something on my face."

The non-couple stared at him, surprised he was taking the fight away. Flash seemed to catch on quickly and grinned. "Ya got it. Hey Supes! Stay in the kid's corner while I'm gone!"

Superman nodded, smiling kindly as the fastest man alive dashed away. Green Arrow and Black Canary just looked down on Robin, slightly taken back. "Kid, you've got a lot of guts."

"And I'd like to keep them where they are, thank you very much." This won a short laugh from Superman, Hal and Ollie. The rest dispersed slightly to take care of other matters. J'onn stayed next to Robin until Superman knelt before him. Both their presences were comforting, but truth be told, Robin just wanted to get to work to find a way home.

"So, what are you planning to do with me?" he asked the man of steel before he could say a word. The Martian glanced once over to them then went his way. Probably after some Oreos.

Superman put a comforting hand on Robin's shoulder, being as kind to him as possible. "For now, I think we'll keep you here. I'm certain Batman's searching for any anomalies in the cave for a quick way to send you home right now. You'll probably have to undergo some tests though."

Robin nodded. He expected this, but he wanted to do something about it as well. "I'll do anything if it means getting home faster."

"That's the spirit." Superman smiled, getting off the floor. "And don't forget about your Batman. If he's anything like ours, he'll do everything he can to get you back."

Those words were exactly what he needed. Hope and warmth filled his chest as he thought of his Batman, his Bruce, his second dad. He really would tear time and space apart if it meant bringing his Robin home. A small, slightly happy smile grew on his face. "Right."

Relief and joy creped into the farm-boy's face once he saw Robin's expression lighten. He clapped lightly on the boy's shoulder. "Come. It's late and we've got to find you a room."

Robin nodded and stood from his bench to follow his uncle. No, this wasn't his Clark, but he wasn't much different either. Still bright and cheerful, always a shining comfort, it was nice to know Superman wouldn't change if he wasn't there.

Briefly he looked back to Batman, a stab of pain returning to him. The dark knight was working at the computer still, not looking towards them in the slightest. It really was as if he didn't exist in the man's sight. Robin bit his lips together for a moment before letting the kryptonian lead him out of the main room to the living sector.

"This place pretty much has everything," Superman started as they walked. "I'd give you the full tour but I think Batman would put kryptonite in my coffee. Over here is the living sector. Just a few bedrooms for us should we need to stay overnight. Medical is at the end of the hall, and the library around the corner there. The entertainment center and kitchen are—"

"I know where everything is Clark." Robin took a step outside the man's reach. "I used to sneak in and pull pranks on everyone when I was eleven." Superman jerked his head to the boy, blinking madly in shock. "Should have seen the look on Ollie's face when Roy and I put grape kool-aid in his showerhead. Roy super-glued his slippers to the floor too. Man that was a mess. Dinah yelled at us while the rest laughed. We were still grounded, but Bruce didn't bench me for it. I think he was secretly proud I could do that."

Robin chuckled at the memory. Back then, the only way the child-heroes could play with the League was if he could get them into this place. Robin, Speedy and Kid Flash were inseparable. This place was their private playground on occasion, at least until the League caught them for the day or until the bad guys found the base and ran the League out. That would have been two years ago. Why was this League using the cave?

"You got away with that?" Superman was stunned, nearly gaping at the boy.

"Yeah we did," Robin smirked. "Got away with a lot of things really, but Ollie's never been good with Roy anyway. Guess that's why he cut himself off from him."

"Who's Roy?"

The boy wonder looked at Superman, slightly hurt he didn't know Roy Harper. _Things are really different here,_ Robin concluded sadly, then looked down. "He's one of my friends back home. Take it Green Arrow never had a teenage partner either."

Robin shook his head as he approached one door automatically. No Robin apparently also meant no Speedy. Maybe that was a good thing, considering how strained their relationship was at the moment. But no Robin probably didn't mean no Kid Flash or no Aqualad. Wally and Kaldur must have their lives in order there, right?

"Uh, kid?"

"It's Robin," he told Superman quickly while punching in the lock code. The doors didn't open. He stared at it confused.

Superman stepped in front of him, trying to gently lead him away from the door. "Robin, this is Batman's room."

The boy wonder looked up to Superman still a bit confused before remembering where he was again. "Oh. Sorry. Forgot." He shook his head to clear it. He remembered briefly Batman taking him to this room several times after patrol when he was younger. Brief meetings and late nights took its toll on the kid back then and he would end up falling asleep in that room while waiting for Batman to return from League business.

Then he remembered how last July Batman took him back to this room, making it his. "The walls are sound proof and its familiar enough," Bruce reminded him. Back then, Dick gave a sheepish grin. He knew why his mentor gave him this room. Nightmares still plagued him and this place would ensure he didn't have them too often, or at least the others wouldn't be able to hear him scream. "Security's tightest here. No one is going to catch you off guard here."

Paranoid, thinks-of-everything, Batman. This Batman's code was probably the same as his though. If not, the system wasn't that hard to hack. Especially since it was Batman's system.

But Robin let his hand drop, sadly remembering he wasn't really in his home at all. He and Superman went back to walking down the hall, silence following them. After a moment Robin felt he had to explain himself. "Back home, my team and I, we work from here. You guys have the Hall of Justice in DC and the Watchtower Satellite in space. There, that's my room."

Superman nodded in understanding. "Easy mistake then. Ah, I think this one's empty."

The man of steel pressed the enter key to grant them access and Robin entered the unfamiliar room. He tried to remember if it belonged to anyone at any time, but he really didn't recognize it from any of his pranking days or from exploring the cave with M'gann and Conner. It really was just a spare room. Deathly grey walls, a suitable bed in one corner, and different pieces of bedroom furniture around the place. He spotted a door leading to a normal sized bathroom off to the side and a built in closet next to it. Just a standard, nearly military, guest room.

Briefly he looked at the bed. "Might need another blanket."

"I think there's spares in the closet." Superman opened the closet door and looked around. "Ah! Found one!"

In an instant he pulled down a comforter and handed it to Robin, smiling. The boy took it, nodding his thanks. He didn't really have the energy to smile anymore. It had been a long day and was far past midnight. Normally this wouldn't bother him too much, but after everything that happened these past few… hours? It was hard to gage time at the moment. Either way, he was too tired and miserable to smile like he used to. Everything drained him and thinking was becoming harder.

Superman watched Robin for a moment, sensing rather than knowing the boy was in this state. He already guessed how much Batman meant to him and how hard all of this was on the kid. This had to be hard on him, maybe even scarring him for life.

"Flash should be back with a fresh set of clothes soon," he tried, hoping to cheer the kid up a bit more. The kid nodded, but said nothing. Unable to take the miserable look on the boy's face, Clark embraced him, holding him close and hoping to give the kid comfort. The kid froze, not really accepting the hug, but not rejecting him either.

"We'll find a way to get you home," Superman promised. "Just keep your spirits up, okay?" Robin nodded weakly in his arms. He held the boy there for a bit, rubbing his back in hopes of soothing the kid's troubled heart. When the kid continued to do nothing, he let out a sigh before letting him go. He kept his hands on the boy's shoulders and looked him in the eye. "I'm just a few doors down. If you need anything, just say my name and I'll come flying. Okay?"

Stony faced, Robin nodded, answering weakly. "Okay."

Superman gave him another quick hug, both knowing very well how the other felt. Robin couldn't accept Superman's hugs because he wasn't his Superman. But he was still the kind Superman he knew so well and he couldn't reject him. Robin needed his Superman. He needed his world.

Most of all, he needed his dad.

Superman let the stony faced, miserable boy go, gave him one final smile, then left the room. It locked on its own, reminding the boy wonder he was still a threat to them. Slowly he turned towards the bed. Exhaustion waved over him again and again, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt inside his heart.

Quickly he tore off his mask and lunged into the bed, tears dripping down his face. He didn't break down in front of any of the Leaguers. He hadn't cried when this Batman said he didn't know him. He wouldn't cry in Superman's arms. Finally alone, he let every painful emotion and thought pour out of him, muffling his cries to keep anyone from checking on him. None of them could know how badly he was hurt. He was Robin, the boy wonder, Batman's partner and maybe successor. He had to be strong. He had to be fearless. He had to take the risks other couldn't to save as many people as possible.

But right then and there he was just a sad lost boy, desperately missing his family, his father.

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><p>AN: Mind if I point out some differences? My theory: Without Robin, there'd really be no Speedy because Rob tested the waters for child hero and everyone started catching on. Ollie changed a bit when he got Roy, and then Canary really started liking him. No rob=No speedy=No Ollie/Dinah Is this a good thing? we'll find out later.

Note for the future: He's Dick without his mask/sunglasses, robin with them. And he's dead. Truth be told, only Bats will know his last name just so no one looks for his grave later. It doesn't matter if he tells the League here anything, because over half those secrets are likely not to count as secrets. the other half can only help them.

Ah, yeah, with this one I've kinda jointed the bandwagon of Bruce adopting Dick. Guess I made it an awkward Christmas present between them that year.

And before anyone asks again why the League is in the mountain, it won't be answered. In 'get back up's' 'traitor' I have a theory on why they left. 'Get back up' takes place about a month after this whole fiasco. That's the last of my hints here. Enjoy! and please help with the ideas for later. don't think of a scenario you want me to write. we never saw how they saved the sun after all.


	4. Ch 4 Knights and Mares

**Disclaimer:** *looks at chapter title* wow, I know I've seen a title like this before. Where was it? oh yeah! I remember! 'Knightmare'! Another one of my fanfics! You should read it, because it's awesome and as I've said there too, I don't own any character in this. DC does.

Now that Robin's somewhat settled, and i've made a lot of people cry *insert evil laugh here*, it's time to see how this batman is dealing with this. And don't forget, even though Dick isn't a metahuman, he does have a very special talent, getting every good person attached to him. X3

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 4 – Knights and Mares**

Batman reviewed the files over and over again. Investigating Kord could wait. This… child's… presence couldn't. The computer had detected an anomaly when the kid appeared, but there was no residue or any sign of entry remaining. The kid himself had no excess radiation or ions of unknown origins on his body, suit or gear. As far as he could tell, Robin was shot through a paper thin barrier between their realities and the entry way healed itself automatically.

As far as he could tell, there was no way to send the kid back.

The dark knight rubbed his eyes, thinking about the kid. He was exactly as he imagined Richard Jonathan Grayson would grow up to be. He wasn't full grown yet, but he was well on his way there. His eyes were the same stunning blue he remembered, and the brief moments he saw the kid smiling reminded him of the circus boy he only met briefly over five years ago.

It was a charity function, one of many he'd gone to over the years. Haley's Circus didn't come to Gotham often, but they were known for being some of the best, especially the Flying Graysons. During his training journey, he had heard of those acrobats who could do seemingly impossible stunts and wanted to learn everything he could from them. But Bruce always seemed to miss the Graysons and their death defying feats. This was an opportunity he long wanted.

He decided to meet the Grayson family before the show. He did his research on them before hand of course. John Grayson, his wife Mary and their son Richard were very close, traveling all across the world to prove to people humanity could fly. They were the only people in the world known to use a quadruple flip through the air, and always performed without a net. Their son was eight, and he started performing when he was six. This would be his first time though without a net.

Richard was reportedly brilliant. Every school he enrolled in placed him on honor rolls within a month. He had already skipped a grade and somehow managed to keep his performances and his schooling well balanced. There was even a rumor of him learning to fight from other performers and becoming quite adept.

Secretly Batman thought of recruiting the boy, possibly to take his place, when he was an adult. It was a fleeting thought, one he had many times with other people of unbelievable talent.

But he shoved that thought to the side when he met the family in person. Bruce Wayne accidentally walked in on the family having a group hug, laughing affectionately towards each other. Richard's sensitive blue eyes and glowing smile brought the warmth of a family's love into clear view for him. It reminded him of his own family once upon a time. In that instant Bruce swore off trying to influence the boy's personal growth. Yes he had potential, but he also had a family. It was to protect families and children like this that he fought as Batman.

And that night he failed.

Just after the boy clasped his mother's hands for the final act, all three of them on the same line, the ropes snapped and the trio fell to their deaths. It was deemed accidental and until that day Batman had no reason to question the ruling. He paid for the funeral himself, buried the three of them in his family's cemetery. He couldn't help feeling guilty for not being able to save them that night.

Now the guilt welled in him, knowing now their deaths were murder.

He looked back up to the screens before him. One had every scan results taken of Robin while he was in his stupor. Everything suggested he was a naturally born human being. The only way to be certain he was Richard Grayson from a parallel world would require exhuming the dead acrobat's body and comparing the results. The scans also suggested the kid came from such a similar universe to their own that there was no real difference between them. At least not in the chemical sense.

Another screen held every ounce of information available on the Graysons and their deaths. The rope, the one piece of physical evidence for this case, had long been thrown away. Recovering it after five years would be impossible. The Haley Circus was torn down to nothing about a year later and the owner died just last year. The only way to prove Anthony Zucco was responsible for their deaths was a written confession on his part, and that was unlikely. He had gone to ground years ago. Digging through the filth to find his current alias would take time. And he wasn't entirely certain this lead was even solid.

The third screen was up merely for his paranoia's sake. A camera was stationed in the boy's room, watching the inhabitant like a hawk. Only Batman had seen the kid break down seconds after the man of steel left the room. Only he heard the muffled sobs escaping his lips. Only he knew the kid cried himself to sleep on top of his blankets. That kid was exhausted, and everything that happened since his appearance only drove his body to the ground.

It wasn't more than ten minutes later when the Flash came into the boy's room with new clothes for him to wear. He had stopped short of talking when he saw Robin bundling in his cape, sleeping on the bed. Being the kindhearted uncle he was, Barry gently and quickly tucked the kid into the bed, pulling the blankets to the kid's chin so he wouldn't catch cold. One of the microphones in the room caught the boy mumble, "Thanks… Alfred…"

Barry's surprised expression would have been amusing if Batman didn't need to take a deep breath from hearing that. It was bad enough this kid knew who he and the other League members were, but he also knew Alfred. In the kid's subconscious, he knew Alfred and immediately attributed being taken care of to him.

If this kid was indeed a clone sent as a distraction, he was a very good one.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on the person, this only further proved the theory of the kid coming from a parallel Earth. A parallel Earth it was likely he'd never return to.

"Need a break?"

Batman turned to look at the god-like alien approaching him. He floated in again. Damn.

"What I need is a triple." Batman turned back to the monitors and tried to make sense of the sparse data he had.

"Are you sure you don't run on coffee?" Superman took a peak at the files Bruce was reading, only able to make sense of the murder case and a few other details. He was still learning how to read scans properly. "You've been here since I took the kid to bed three hours ago."

"Someone needs to keep an eye on him." Indeed he was keeping tabs on the kid, still not certain if he was friend or foe. Everyone wanted to believe he was just a lost child, a child _he_ supposedly had claim to. Years of experience told Batman not to trust anything at face value.

"Sound like a dad already," his friend chuckled.

"Shut up Kent and get me my coffee."

"Sure, fine, whatever." Superman threw his hands into the air exasperated before walking into the kitchen to fix a large pot of coffee. His pestering though did have some effect on the dark knight. He kept the camera on the kid active, but put placed another window in front of it. He didn't need to see the kid sleeping for hours on end.

It wasn't until the pot was nearly full that Superman heard it; the faint whimper of a child. It was quickly followed with a slurred plea for help. Then a scream.

In an instant he flew out of the kitchen towards the boy's room. And he wasn't the only one who rushed there. Flash, J'onn and Diana opted to stay the might, and each had heard the kid's screaming. In an instant the door was open and they could see the source.

Robin writhed on the bed, pure panic across his nightmarish face. Somehow he was still asleep despite the terror he was experiencing. Screams, whines and pleadings escaped his mouth frequently. They heard several names over and over again. The most painful tones came with Mom, Dad, and Bruce. Alfred, Barbara, Wally and Roy were also heard, but not quite as often. When he shouted for Clark, Superman rushed to his side, trying to sooth him.

"I'm here Robin, I'm here." He held the boy's hand and tried to brush the boy's head with his hand, remembering how it helped him as a child. It wasn't working on this kid though. He only became more panicked, tears streaming through his closed eyes. He was pleading again, pleading for Two-Face to let them go, pleading for Joker to put the knives away. Pleading for his parents to open their eyes, for Bruce not to leave him.

"J'onn, can't you do something?" Flash tugged on the Martian's arm desperately. The three others had followed the man of steel in and each worried over the little boy before them.

"I am trying," J'onn stated flatly, "but his mind is too well guarded and too panicked to gain any entrance. I cannot enter his dreams to assist him in any shape or form."

"We just need to wake him then." Diana leaned over the boy's face and tried to pinch his cheeks to wake him. Besides the kid's constant struggling making any firm grasp on his face near impossible, the kid seemed to have a high tolerance for pain. Exasperated, she mumbled, "Maybe a sharp slap would—"

"Are you out of your mind?" Superman still held on to the boy's hand, desperation filling his voice. "With our strength, you're likely to break his jaw! No, there has to be a nicer way."

"I'd take out a hot meal if this were my nephew," Barry piped in, "but I don't think this kid would have much of an appetite."

"It's just a nightmare." Everyone turned sharply around to see Batman in the doorway. His annoyed glare told them enough. "Leave him alone."

"Batman," Diana started, but Flash charged right up to him, angry beyond measure.

"He's not you Bruce! He's not the stubborn heartless bat who faces everything on his own! He's not—"

"BATMAN!"

They all stopped and stared at the still writhing kid, tears streaking cross his face and screaming, pleading for those he cared for most.

"NO! Don't kill him! Don't kill Batman!" the kid continued, his breath fading. "He's all… he's all I have left…"

Everyone's breath halted at the kid's desperate plea. Finally Superman, sympathetic tears in his eyes, turned to Batman pleadingly. "Bruce, please! You're the only one who can help him here."

The Bat hesitated in the doorway, his face stony. Then, slowly and somehow unsure, he took a step forward, then another one. Before he knew it, he sat on the bed beside the boy. In his darkened mind, he tried to think of a 'what if'. What if he had raised a child? What would he do when the kid had nightmares? Nightmares so terrible, he'd scream and shout pleas for people long dead? What would his other self do?

"Robin," he started, trying to keep his voice level, "wake up."

The boy responded to his voice and the alias, but didn't wake. His body seemed to recognize his presence. He twitched less and didn't roll around as much. Batman decided to try a different, yet similar tactic. He grabbed the boy's shoulders and brought their faces closer together. Using a calmer voice, he repeated, "Richard, wake up."

Still the boy didn't wake. His eyes seemed to roll more but his pleas were whispers now, repeating over and over again, "Don't leave me. Please, please don't leave me. Don't leave me alone. Not again."

Batman gave an audible sigh, thinking back to the files. The kid needed a more familiar name. It came to him and he whispered, "Dick, wake up."

Instantly the boy's eyes flew open, wild and wet. He stared straight into Batman's shielded eyes, as if he could see through the lenses to the man's grey eyes. He shook a bit, but who didn't after so many terrorizing visions floated through his head?

"Bruce?" The boy's voice cracked as he whispered the man's real name. Batman nodded once, firm and unmovable.

Relief flooded the boy's face and he dived into the caped avenger's arms, crying once again. He held him tightly, burying his face into the man's chest. Everyone could hear the relief in the boy's voice, as if he finally found or had returned the one person he couldn't live without. The kid didn't care in the slightest who was watching, and it was clear his mind was still influenced by that dream or he'd never be hugging this Batman as closely as he was.

Batman merely sat there in shock, not knowing what to do in the slightest. He looked down to the boy clinging to him for dear life, for everything he loved. His suit would have tear stains now, but he really didn't mind that. What shook him was the kid's voice. It was clear Robin, Dick Grayson, dreamt of losing his Batman just like he lost his parents. It terrified him. Robin couldn't lose Batman. Dick couldn't lose Bruce.

And he had practically made the kid believe he had earlier that night.

All the stone cold walls around Batman's heart crumbled for a moment for this boy. For the first time since he was a child, he returned the hug in full. This kid needed a Batman at the moment. He may not be the right one, but he would have to do.

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><p>AN: YAY FOR NIGHT TERRORS! never had one myself so i don't know how they work. =P Still, I like giving Dick nightmares don't i. I imagine after all the things he's gone through, Dick would have a lot of them. Especially after what just happened. I mean, isn't this his greatest fear? to lose everything he loves again? *shrug*

And here we also have the awakening of DaddyBats, take one. I really think Bruce is more inclined towards family than any other league member because of his personal trauma, so having his fatherly instincts taking hold around a frantic Dick would happen quite easily. It'll be a few more tries until he gets with the program though. You can't change people overnight.


	5. Ch 5 A Few Friends

**Disclaimer:** Shoot. I think I used all my witty disclaimers up. Ah well. I own nothing but my imagination. DC owns the rest here.

Thanks for the reviews and the tears! *giddy* I read once writers were writers because torture was illegal. Anywho, I'm debating something. Since this is the original story I had planned out, and I want to drive people nuts with this more than the other, should I put 'Where's Robin' on hold until a certain point in this story? The suspense here won't be as dramatic if you read both sides at the same time. Think you can take it? I'm pretty far ahead on this one so it won't be a long Hiatus for it and this would continue. Just a few weeks or so. Like I said, I'm pretty far ahead after all. So? =D

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 5 – A Few Friends**

When Dick woke, the first thing he saw was Batman. The dark knight was watching him, his arms folded serious in chair. In a bleary haze he looked around the room, not recognizing it. If Batman was there, everything was alright. But where was he? This wasn't his room. This wasn't any of his rooms.

Slowly he started to remember the other day's events. He remembered his mission, he remembered Wally's souvenir, then he remembered the blast. Looking at the ceiling now, Dick's eyes widened recalling everything happing after. The pain of that experience welled within him again. The man beside him wasn't his Batman. This wasn't his Bruce. He didn't even know about Robin. And he didn't care.

But if he didn't care, why was he in that room with him?

Unbidden, the vague memory of his night terror returned, and his subsequence breakdown. The brief time he was awake was like a dream, a fleeting memory of what his own Bruce would have done. Honestly, though that moment was easier to remember than his nightmare, he wished it wasn't real. If it was, than that meant…

His face flushed in embarrassment. Finally Batman spoke. He had let Dick gather his bearings before saying a word. "You're quite an emotional child."

Dick's face only became redder, keeping his eyes on the ceiling. "So I've got a lousy poker face. Sue me. Someone in this business has to smile."

"How frequent are your nightmares?"

He winced. This was a test, one he knew would decide how often this Batman would appear before him. "More often than I'd like. If something happened earlier, like a bad fight, a toxin or… something traumatizing, they come. Familiar places or people being around, calm me down pretty quickly."

"You didn't respond to Superman."

"And how often does he stay overnight at the manor?" Touché. "Look, after my parents died, my Bruce took me in and raised me. He…" He hesitated. Dick wasn't sure if he wanted to talk to this Batman about his relationship with Bruce. It might anger him further and an angry Batman was never pleasant. "He did everything he could for me. Especially then. My nightmares were just some of the many things he's helped me with."

Batman nodded. He stood up after a moment and turned to leave. Dick turned his head slightly, catching a good look at his cape. His heart almost stopped for a moment. "Don't expect any coddling."

"Never do." Dick smirked slightly.

This Batman nodded again and headed to the door. As the door opened, he gave some ground rules. "Flash left you some clothes. I'll tell him you're awake. Don't escape him."

"10-4." When the door snapped shut behind him, Dick turned to face the wall. So Flash would be his sitter for the day. More than likely they'd all watch him in turns until they either got him home or figured out what to do with him in this world. Personally, he prayed to find a way home quickly so he wouldn't burden them for too long, and so he could sock Wally one. Mostly though, he wanted to get back to his family, his friends.

He gave a long sigh and pushed himself up. Knowing both Batman and Flash, he wouldn't have much time for privacy. He'd better change now before the speedster dragged him to breakfast. Probably a big one. Barry and Wally had a hard time back home believing he had a small appetite.

Slowly he left the warmth of the bed and walked over to the bags of clothes next to the door. He must have been pretty out of it not to notice nor remember anyone coming in last night to drop them off; though, he did vaguely remember not wrapping himself in the sheets when he was crying and passed out. "Must have been Flash."

He grabbed the bags and emptied them on the bed to get a good look at them. Since this was Happy Harbor, he could guess what kinds of shirts Barry came back with. There were a few plain ones, and a black jacket, but the majority of them had hero shields on them. There were a few more Batman and Flash ones than any other (Barry's sense of humor would require him to either rub in Robin's supposed roots and that he bought the clothes), but Green Lantern, Superman and even Wonder Woman crests made their appearances as well. Ten league shirts, five normal. Plus it was winter. He'd have to layer the shirts so he was doomed with some kind of target on his chest.

He made the easy decision with changing his pants first. They were a little bigger than he wanted because he didn't specify too much, but Flash wisely brought him a belt to compensate. Next was deciding which target to put over which long sleeve shirt. As he stripped off his usual red Kevlar tunic, the door opened behind him. Immediately he grabbed the lid of the shoebox to throw at the intruder but stopped when he saw the red long johns.

"Whoa there boy!" Flash threw up his hands in his defense

"Ever heard of knocking?" Dick immediately snapped. He let go of the box top and gave a heavy sigh as he tossed his top onto his tights.

"Ah, right, sorry." Flashed looked at Dick's back, almost gaping at the scars. The kid knew without even looking at the man what he was thinking. A boy his age shouldn't have so many marks on his body. Quickly the boy pulled on a white long sleeved shirt before grabbing a Superman one and pulling it on his head. "I… I just thought, with how fast Bats changes, you'd be ready by now."

"Keh, I'm not Batman." Dick gave a weak laugh before grabbing the sunglasses. He bit off the tag on them then quickly put them on, becoming Robin once again. He stuffed his mask into his pocket. "I'm only fast when I'm in the field or there's an emergency."

Flash nodded then stepped up to Robin's side. "Are you okay?"

The concern in the man's voice cooled Robin's temper. Flash was the second League member he met after becoming Robin so he felt like he knew him pretty well. He was someone he could trust and was already helping him there. Robin gave a weak head shake before opening the new package of socks. "Eventually."

The boy wonder cleared a small part of the bed and sat on the edge of it to put the socks on. Flash just watched him, still worried. "That's not really an answer."

"Well it all depends on what you mean by okay." Robin took the shoes out of the box and started relacing them to suit his tastes. He hoped they fit right. "Physically, I've been beaten a hundred ways to Friday by all sorts of crazies and criminals. Nearly been eaten by wild animals and monsters too. But I always managed to heal. Right now I don't really have any injuries.

"Mentally I can't say I'm okay." He finished one shoe and put it on quickly, then started the other one. "Besides being beaten near to death a few times, I saw my parents die, seen my foster parent nearly die several times over, and I'm running around at night fighting crime in tights. Most people would say that's enough to put me in therapy. That's if Bruce actually believed in it."

Flash have a huff of a laugh, winning a smirk from both their lips. Robin finished the other shoe and started putting it on as he continued. "And then there's my emotional health. Add to the facts I just gave you that I've been shot out of my world to one where I don't seem to exist, only to find out I died at eight and the people who knew me best don't know me at all."

Robin finished with his shoes and looked straight to Flash, peaking over his sunglasses. "There's no way I'm alright. But I got through my parents deaths and all of that, and I could still smile. I'm sure I'll eventually be fine again, it just takes time."

Flash watched him, a thoughtful expression clear on his face. After a moment, Robin got off the bed and started folding the clothes, removing tags and stickers as he went. Flash stepped out of his thoughts and started helping him at a normal rate. "You're stronger than you look."

Robin smirked sadly. "I overheard Bruce telling someone once that I was stronger than him. I'm not sure if that's true. Thanks for the clothes."

"No problem." Flash grinned impishly. "Like the selection?"

"Do you want Batman to clobber be?" His smirk became playful as he picked up a Green Lantern shirt. Hal and Bruce didn't always see eye to eye and frankly Bruce thought the core's requirements were far too low. He used to rant on how Hal would use eggbeaters and baseball gloves to beat bad guys, and he was way too bright and noisy. Of all the Leaguers, Bats kept Robin away from Hal the most. Scratch that, Guy. But only by a little.

Course, John Stewart wasn't bad and Bruce let the two of them talk so long as they were in costume. And Robin snuck out to talk to Hal whenever he felt like it. Guy though was way too much for him so he didn't go out of his way to talk to that Lantern.

Flash smirked too. "Nah, but he deserves it. Besides, I bet you have plenty of shirts like these back home."

Robin shook his head. "Maybe one or two Superman shirts and a Flash one Wally gave me. Bruce wants to keep our two lives as separate as possible, and in Gotham, wearing a cape's shirt is literally putting a target on your chest. I'm already a walking target. Better not to make it easier on kidnappers and assassins don't you think?"

Flash shrugged sheepishly. It was a given that Bruce Wayne's friends and relatives would be targets in that crazy city. Imagine how much trouble came to his… kid? He looked up and down the boy again as they put the clothes in a chest to the side. "So your Bats really took you in? How?"

The boy took a deep breath as he organized the shirts. Alfred's habits had rubbed off on him. "He made me his legal ward shortly after their deaths. Kinda pushed it through to make sure I was safe because of Zucco. I was the prime witness after all. He officially adopted me just a few weeks ago. Said it was my choice, so he didn't push it."

Sadly he pushed the drawers closed then looked at his uniform. "Quick question. Is the laundry room open to me? My Alfred would kill me if I didn't take care of my gear."

Barry laughed and clapped Robin's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'll handle it before heading home tonight."

"I'll get it back right?"

Flash grinned. "What? Planning on using it sometime soon?"

"Well I just can't go home in this." He picked at his new clothes, raising an eyebrow. "And I don't exactly have a million sets crammed in rings you know. I'm pretty sure you don't want to keep them in some trophy case when I'm gone."

The speedster smirked. "Ready to leave already huh?" Robin looked up to him, giving a serious look with a touch of homesickness. He rubbed the kid's head affectionately. "It'll be fine. You'll see. Come on, let's get some breakfast."

Robin nodded and grabbed the jacket as they left the room. The hallways were cooler than he liked so he pulled it on as they walked. Flash started rambling about the food they were going to eat and then about how much fun they were going to have today. Inside the kid knew this wasn't what the Flash wanted to talk to him about, but he let the man ramble for a bit until he found a clock. Nearly ten am. He slept too long.

"Why didn't anyone wake me?" Flash stopped mid sentence and looked at the boy wonder in curiosity. The kid shrugged. "I mean, it's a school day and I'm sure Batman didn't want to stay awake for 36 hours straight. So why didn't anyone wake me up earlier?"

"Oh you know," Flash mildly put it, "kids need their sleep and you were pretty wiped out."

"I usually only get six hours at the most," Robin stated flatly. "I do work with Batman after all. Burning the midnight oil is just one of the things we do."

Barry shrugged and looked away slightly. "Well, I thought… since Wally…"

Robin had to hold back a laugh. Since neither Batman nor Green Arrow had any experience with kids, they looked to Flash for answers. He remembered the first time he met Barry. He couldn't handle Robin. It was thanks to knowing him for two years that made taking in Kid Flash easier on the man. "Ah yes, Wally. Sleeps like the dead. Especially on weekends."

"No kidding." Flash gave a half laugh before looking back to Robin. "So, how do you know my nephew?"

'_Ah. This was what he wanted to talk about._' They finally made it to the kitchen and the many boxes of cereal and different milks on the counter. Robin could guess who picked them.

"In my world, Wally West is my best friend. About three years ago you and he were talking in your lab at work about how you became Flash. Wally was pretty curious if that was the way it worked and looked at the chemicals in your lab. Then lightning struck and…" Robin grinned at Flash's shocked face. "Well you get the picture. A kid with your speed, and Wally of all of them—"

"That'd be a disaster." Flash ran a hand over his cowl in worry. "His parents would kill me. My wife would kill me."

"Meh, he also got your healing." Robin grabbed a bowl and found his favorite cereal. He opened it quickly, saving himself a smile. Alfred didn't buy it anymore because of the last time he ate it. That was almost four years ago. He wondered if he'd have the same reaction now. "For the first couple months, it was kinda a disaster, heavy on the dis. He took one of your suits and started running around as a hero. You made him your partner to keep him out of trouble and teach him to control his speed. Still can't vibrate through walls or bullets, but you're sure it'll come in time.

"One day the League called you in for a special mission. Batman was too. Both of us kinda… followed you two. Well," Robin gave a sheepish grin, "Kid Flash followed you. I was in Batman's trunk. The Zeta-Beams were still being tested. Everyone was trying to figure out what to do with KF and he was checking out the car. Superman saw me and well..."

He scooped out some sugary breakfast and chewed merrily, taking in the sweets he'd been denied for so long. Just as good as he remembered it. He knew Flash would figure out how everyone felt about that night. Swallowing his bite, he started waving his spoon around to emphasize his explanation. "Batman dragged both of us through the Zeta-tube to Star City and the three of us took to the streets while the League took care of something Luthor cooked up."

"So Batman turned babysitter in Star?" Barry was clearly confused, despite hanging on ever word while he ate through two boxes.

"Ah no. He took off five minutes after. Me, Wally and Roy were having a blast. Bruce was pretty ticked at Ollie for not going with us, but we did a pretty good job anyway." He took another scoop of his cereal. Oh this thing was good. "The three of us have been tight ever since."

"Who's Roy?"

"Roy Harper. In my world he's Speedy, or was. He's five years older than me. Last summer he ditched GA 'cause he kept treating him like a kid, then took the name Red Arrow. We're still friends and we talk all the time, he's just not working with the League anymore. Not officially." He looked over to the growing stack of boxes Flash was emptying. Being with Barry or Wally made his usual appetite seem even smaller than it was. Watching them eat shrank it even more.

"Dang that's a lot."

Flash gave a sheepish grin. "Hyperactive—"

"Metabolism, I know. Still, that's a lot." He ate another spoonful of his favorite cereal but found that was enough to fill him. Seeing how much he ate when he was stressed, plus how often he ended up eating with a Flash, it wasn't surprising he was so thin.

"So, you, Wally, and this Roy are all… kid heroes? Sidekicks?" Flash was still trying to understand what the boy was saying.

"Partners," Robin pointed out, then thought second on it. "Well, Kaldur's kinda more a sidekick than partner, and GA always treated Roy as one, but Bruce and I worked together so long we're partners. KF and you, I think you're somewhere between partners and sidekicks. More partners because you're family. I think that makes a big difference in this business."

He swirled his breakfast around as he spoke, thinking out loud. "Roy and Ollie never really got that close, course he was fifteen when he started. I think Roy got attached to Dinah though. And Hal. They still talk. Oliver though, he doesn't want to talk to him or talk about him."

"They had a fight?"

"It's been building for a while." He played with this food some more and wondered out loud. "The real kick in the pants came when we were all told we were going to join the League and were basically just given a glorified backstage tour of the Hall of Justice. Ollie told Roy about the Watchtower satellite base and got upset about us not being able to go.

"Course I knew about it. The plans were in the Bat-cave for a long time. I just didn't know they finished making it yet. Batman hadn't said a word because he didn't want me hacking into their system, going there, and making it another one of my playgrounds." He laughed at the memory. "I think he got Blue Beetle to triple encrypt the system for extra insurance. Haven't found a way to get up there yet. His programs are very different from Bruce's."

"How'd Wally take it?" Flash seemed a little antsy as he asked. Robin couldn't help but be glad this Flash held the relationship between himself and his nephew dear.

"Well, after Speedy walked out, we… er…" He laughed at himself. "Let's just say, we made a scenario where the League had to support us, or we'd do what we wanted together regardless. Wally was upset at first, but after that, you and Batman were the ones who really supported our new team. Your relationship's as strong as ever.

"But I have to ask," Robin leaned forward, a little worried, "are his parents still fighting?"

Barry blinked, swallowing what was left of his meal too quickly. After a short coughing fit, he looked back to Robin, an unbelieving look in his face. "They're fighting?"

"Were last I heard." Robin settled back in his seat, swirling his food once again. "Wally's hanging out more with either you, your wife or the team."

"What are they fighting about?" Concern for his family life drew the man's face to a serious frown.

Robin gave a shrug. "Wally won't say. I only hear snippets over the phone from time to time, but when I ask he just laughs it off and pretends it's not happening. I think he's in denial."

The speedster rubbed a hand over his cowl again, worry coming to his face. Robin could only guess what was going through the man's mind, but tried not to. Obviously things were clicking in his head, things he hadn't put together until Robin spoke about it. The boy wonder took another scoop of his breakfast in the silence, wondering if saying that much about Wally was a good idea.

Then again, if it ended up helping his best friend here, it couldn't be too bad.

He glanced up at the speedster once again and knew the man wanted to run back home and see if what Robin said was true, to see for himself if he missed what he should have seen. But Flash should be babysitting Robin, not investigating his family in Central. Slowly Barry, his concern more than evident on his face, spoke again. "Does Rudolf… does his dad… hurt him?"

Robin raised an eyebrow, not sure why Flash even asked that. "Ah, wouldn't know. KF has super fast healing. Bruises are gone within a few hours so if his dad is hurting him, it'd be hard to prove. But Wally doesn't act like a beaten kid, just gets out of the house to avoid the yelling. I really don't know much about his personal life. Secret ID privacy and all that."

Barry gave a weak nod, but the worry didn't leave his face. Now Robin was wondering what happened in the West home here. Barry still loved his nephew unconditionally, but because he wasn't Kid Flash their relationship wasn't near as close as the boy wonder anticipated. Right then he doubted Wally even knew the truth about his uncle, which was just plain weird.

Flash tried to snap himself out of this depression and took a deep breath. He gave Robin a smile before zipping around to put the empty boxes (total: nine, plus two milk cartons) in the recycling. "So! Besides this Roy and Wally, who else is on this team of yours?"

The boy wonder knew he was changing the subject for both their sakes but smirked and went with it anyway. "Well there's Kaldur'ahm, that's Aqualad, M'gann aka Miss Martian, Artemis, Zatanna, and…"

Robin stopped, realizing something major. If he didn't exist here and neither did KF, what was the likelihood of Kaldur going against League orders and going to Cadmus to find… "Superboy."

"Come again?"

Robin gripped his head, putting everything together. Without him, Conner would never have been discovered. _He_ hacked the computer in the Hall to find Cadmus. _He_ hacked their computers to find project Kr. And _he_ was the one who thought of how to take the building down so they could escape.

"Did you guys ever go to Cadmus?" He looked up at Flash, a fresh wave of worry coming to his face. It took the speedster back for a second. One second Robin would he smiling and happy to talk, then he'd become serious and a bit tight lipped.

"Cadmus? That genetics lab Bats keeps trying to get us to look into?"

The boy clenched his teeth, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "You need to look in to it. Sub-Level 52, Project Kr. And make sure Clark takes him home. The G-nomes and Guardian will work with you guys if you let them, but Dr. Desmond's going to be a real pain with that Blockbuster serum."

"Whoa there. What are you talking about?" Flash was getting confused, and Robin couldn't blame him. The information he was giving wasn't exactly coherent. Or would it be nonherent? Disherent?

"Look, you remember that scenario I told you about? The one where we kinda forced the League to stop seeing us like sidekicks?" Flash nodded. "Well that day, after Roy left, the League was called to a big mission and the three of us—"

"Three?"

"KF, Aqualad and I. We, or rather, I hacked the computer and found out about Batman looking in on Cadmus. He didn't have a lot so, during a fire at their surface lab, we snuck in, found an express elevator and found out about the G-nomorphs. I hacked their computers and found out about Project Kr. We—"

Robin stopped, part of him wanting to tell Flash everything, and the other part wanting to see everyone's faces when they found Conner for themselves. But considering Clark pretty much rejected Conner out of shock and it was he and his friends who pushed for him to stay, it may not be a bad idea to tell everything.

Still, Flash could keep this secret from certain people. "Keep this on the down low okay? I really don't want to scare people away from him."

"From who?" Flash's curiosity was building. Robin knew he'd talk to Batman later and they'd take care of Cadmus soon after.

"Project Kr isn't a weapon, no matter what those guys say. He's a person, like you or me. He's Superboy. Superman's clone." Flash blinked and stared at Robin in complete shock. Now the kid had to do some quick talking. "A force grown clone who's probably being kept at 16-17 so they can use him any way they want to. He's actually a really good kid, just starving for attention. He really wants to be like Clark, but in my world he doesn't give Conner the time of day."

"Conner?"

"That's what we call him. Conner Kent. Clark wasn't too happy about the sir name bit, but since he didn't want anything to do with him back then," Robin shrugged mischievously, "he didn't have any say."

"You're saying someone cloned Superman?" Flash seriously wanted to get his facts right before jumping the gun.

"He's not like Bizzaro. He's really just a teenager. Bit grumpy from time to time, but if your dad rejected you after hearing he was an amazing guy, how'd you feel?"

"So someone cloned Superman," Flash clarified, still trying to take it in, "and you're fine with it?"

Robin gave him an are-you-kidding-me look. "At first no, but did he have any say over who his dad was or how he came to be? In the end, he's just a kid. Like me."

The boy wonder left his seat, taking his half eaten bowl to the sink. As much as he hated wasting food, he really didn't have the stomach to eat much more. Someone had to save Conner. "He's been raised in a test tube, never seen the sun, had things controlling his mind. He doesn't even have all of Superman's powers. Conner deserves to have a normal life at the least, and someone who loves him."

He thought of the changes in Conner's temperament ever since he and M'gann started dating. It was good to see him smile. It'd be good just to see him again. Any of them.

Robin knew Flash was watching him, thoughtful. His reflection off of the overhangs was blurry, but still distinguishable enough to figure out what the man was thinking. He was overcoming his shock about a clone of his friend and leader, and thinking about a kid who had nothing. A kid like this Robin before him.

Slowly the man nodded. "Alright. I'll talk to Batman and the others. We'll see about getting this… Conner you called him? Superboy? Well we'll get him out of there and in a home."

"He needs Clark," Robin emphasized, turning to face the man again. "He really wants to be on his good side. Conner always wanted to be with Superman, to be worthy to be his son. Make sure he gets that chance."

Flash nodded. It was the least he could do. "You do realize though that this isn't going to be a League priority for a bit right?"

Robin nodded, his heart dropping for a second. Saving Conner came second to sending Robin back to where he came from. One kid at a time.

Flash gave a relieved sigh, then moved towards the couches not too far off. "Now, what about the rest of your team? Like this Megan person?"

* * *

><p>AN: So, now they know about three people in Robin's life. I haven't joined the bandwagon of "Abused Wally" but I have established elsewhere that his parents are fighting. Barry's going to look into this on his own later, and since this is an alternate world, Wally getting abused is possible.

yeah, Roy isn't with Ollie here. that's important.

And Conner isn't out of Cadmus yet. I think Robin's now given out three different cases for this league to follow up on.

There's also references here to 'Meeting Robin' (ch.4) and other bits in my other stories. i mean, I have Robin blackmailing Clark into taking Conner in in 'Get Back Up' (ch. 3) so I guess I'm thinking Rob's the one who'll eventually change supe's mind about this clone. *shrug*

So, anyone agreeing to 'Where's Robin?' going on hold for a while? =D


	6. Ch 6 What Happened to the Rest

**Disclaimer:** So I keep having these dreams where Tim Drake's real and he's older than me and way cute. he told me to tell people about Young Justice and have a ball. But of course it's a dream. So I own nothing and no really awesome Robin told me to do anything. I'm just having fun.

So 'Where's Robin?' is now on hold until a certain part of this story (near the end) at which point I may or may not put this one on pause to play catch up. which means you've got two to three weeks to wait on that while I give you daily doses of this! Prepare for lots of theories and talking. There will be action later on, plus Rob's usual acrobatics, and quite a few cameos. So don't go away! I know, i'm a brat. =P

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 6 – What Happened to the Rest**

Before lunch (which was late anyway), Robin told Flash about every one of his friends and the adventures they had. Barry was amazed J'onn had a niece at all, but after more explanations, he learned Martian families were huge. Kaldur was painted quite impressively as well, since he did help save Aquaman. It was strange he never heard of the kid before. But hearing of Artemis and her love-hate relationship with Wally (Robin kept laughing about the two) put him in a slightly sour mood. He chose to keep his mouth shut about Sportsmaster's daughter, but he knew after a minute the kid had guessed what became of each of his team members.

Wally was forbidden from Barry's lab for his own safety, so he never gained superspeed. M'gann never left Mars. Superboy had yet to be found. Artemis hadn't found a way to leave her father. Roy and Kaldur's current status though were mysteries. Barry knew Zatara had a daughter, but he was just as protective over her as he was over Wally.

"I can only think she's one person I have absolutely no influence over," Robin concluded sadly. He seemed to like Zatanna too. He rubbed his chin in thought, an action Flash had seen Batman do quite a few times before. It was kinda cute seeing the kid do it. "I'll have to ask Aquaman about him if I see him again."

"Or I can ask." Flash was very interested in Robin and his friends. If he got the OK, he might even take Robin out to see Wally. His nephew didn't have many friends since he was a science geek.

Robin shook his head. "No, knowing about my friends is my responsibility. You've got enough on your plate with Wally."

The kid looked over to the computer, debating something in his mind. Flash glanced over once and figured it out. He sighed. "I don't think you're allowed on the computers chum."

Instantly the kid's face jerked around to him in alarm. "What?"

The speedster shrugged. "I mean, you're still on probation. Until Bats decides you're safe enough to—"

"Why did you call me chum?"

Flash blinked, completely taken back by the question. That's what the kid heard? "Uh… no reason. It's just something to say instead of kid."

"Oh." The kid seemed a little depressed and looked away.

"What's the matter?" Of all the things the kid would latch onto and be depressed about, 'chum' wasn't on the list of expected words.

"It's just…" Robin shyly looked at his feet. Already the speedster guessed it had to do with Batman. "Bruce used to call me that all the time, when I was little. It's pretty old fashioned so I told him not to when I was in jr. high."

The kid gave a sad smile before continuing. "I doubt this Batman would even consider calling a person that. Didn't think you'd say something so campy."

"Didn't think Batman ever would either." Flash grinned. Batman called his kid 'chum'?

"Oh he can be quite campy." The kid gave an impish grin. "When I was nine, we went back and forth for hours with holisms and silly nick-names. Drove the thugs nuts. Alfred treated us for a Joker toxin afterwards, but Clark got there first and joined in. It was hysterical. Wish I had a camera back then."

"But chum stuck?"

"It was always there. His dad used to call him that." Robin's faced saddened a bit, but some pride remained in his smile. He must have loved being called that growing up. "So he'll probably break your arm if you try calling him that or get anyone in the League to. It's personal."

Flash laughed, appreciating the kid's warning. "I'll remember that."

"Hey, is there any way I can use the gym to train?" Robin's change in subject was so dramatic, Flash found himself at a loss for words. "Seriously, I get antsy if I can't go through my routines."

"Uh… sure." What else could he say? The only extra bit of information Bats gave them was his parents were dead and he grew up in a circus. He didn't give them the kid's real name, and the kid didn't want to say it either. Maybe so they wouldn't look for his grave later?

The kid grinned. "Thanks!" Quickly he hopped over the couch and darted straight towards the gym. They crossed the main hall, the place Robin appeared. Robin seemed to get some sort of idea, stopping just short of the door. He started circling the room, stopping about where he landed. He eyed the place in front of him, seemingly unsure of something. Flashed watched, wondering why the kid went over there and not directly to the gym.

His answer came in a moment. The kid broke into a run, straight across the room from that point, matching his entry path perfectly. If that path was towards a door, Flash would have stopped him. But it led straight to a solid wall, and the kid stopped short of it, frustrated.

"Should have known that wouldn't work," Robin growled, almost in a Batman-like manner. His shoulders slumped and he turned back to the path to the gym.

"What was that about?" Flash cocked his head to the side as the kid made his way towards him.

Robin shrugged. "I thought, maybe if I went back through the place I was shot out from, I might be able to…" He shook his head, reprimanding himself. "It was a stupid Wally idea."

"Hey!" Barry gave him an incredulous glare. "He's not stupid."

"He does come up with some pretty stupid ideas though." Robin put his hands deep in his pockets as he continued down the hall. "Whenever we run out of logical ideas, we look at him and he gets us an illogical one, which tends to give us a new lead and put us in the right path anyway. Really helped with Red Tornado."

Flash stopped short, his face darkening. He remembered clearly what Red Tornado did, and it still sickened him. Robin stopped a second after he did and looked up at the speedster, confused. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." How could he tell Robin about what Red Tornado did? After all, he was—

"Did Red Torpedo and Red Inferno come here to take him away too?" Flash blinked at the kid, stunned he said it so casually.

"How did…"

Robin sighed heavily. "He was our den mother, or supervisor, or whatever you'd call it. Back in September, Artemis and I came to the cave and were attacked by Tornado's siblings. They had Kaldur and M'gann in a fiery cage and Wally and Conner welded in some metal trap. The two of us managed to escape them for a long while, then…"

Robin looked away sheepishly. "I kinda… nearly drowned while setting up with an EMP wave to knock them out. Artemis managed to save us by completing the circuit with a spare arrow we had lying around. Wally's souvenir from Amazo. Red Tornado came in when we were trying to get the guys out of their metal trap, but the EMP wore off and well…" The kid shrugged. "One touch from the reds and he took the air out of us, literally."

Flash's eyes narrowed. It was similar to what happened to them. Still, why was the kid so calm about it? The kid continued.

"When we woke up, all three of them were gone. The League said they were going to search for them, but they never found them. That's when Wally came up with a crazy idea." He grinned impishly. "Dr. Strange owed Conner and M'gann a favor for stopping the breakout at Belle Reve and—"

"Wait, stopping the Belle Reve Breakout?" Flash's jaw dropped in shock. The breakout was the League's greatest embarrassment. They were still trying to catch every criminal who escaped from there, and it wasn't easy. They were on the defensive constantly. If Robin hadn't appeared, Flash would bet money he'd be in Central again trying to take down Captain Cold and bringing him back to justice.

Robin blinked, head jolting back a bit. "Take it they succeeded. That sucks. Oh boy. Wonder how the Injustice Society plant thing ended up now."

Flash groaned at the memory. "That was a disaster. This hasn't been a good year for us. Wait," he jerked in alarm, "don't tell me your team had a hand in taking them down in your world."

The boy looked away, trying to mask his overwhelmed smile. "Heh heh. One story at a time. So, back to Red Tornado."

"I'm going to want to hear the rest on those." This kid's world had different results for the same problems they faced in recent months. Maybe what he knew would help them fix the problems they now faced.

"I'll give you the full story on each of our missions in a bit. So, like I said," Robin turned back around and went back to walking to the gym. It was clear he knew exactly where he was going in this place. "Wally came up with a crazy idea. Ask Ivo where T.O. Morrow was. I mean, he made Red Tornado and the other reds after all. We found him in Yellowstone, right around Old Faithful."

"That's where he's hiding?" The League had been looking for their traitor for months!

"Let me finish!" Robin turned on the speedster with a frustrated glare. It took the man back, forcing him to realize there was more to the story. "Obviously the evil diabolical plan didn't work 'cause we're all here, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. Now calm down and let me finish."

For a moment Flash could see Batman in the kid, especially how he could bark an order and demand the full attention of the people around him. The kid rubbed his head and took off his glasses for a minute to calm his glaring eyes. "Sheesh… one person doesn't live in a world and you'd think the whole place had gone to pot. I'll have to tell the others how much we mean to the League when I get home."

He put his glasses back on and gave a long sigh, straightening himself. "We found him at Yellowstone, but he wasn't our enemy. He wrote a message in the ground saying 'play dead'. Red Volcano then came out and tried to do us in, but Tornado managed to convince Inferno and Torpedo to help him stop Volcano from causing a level three eruption. You know, the kind that destroys the atmosphere. The reds grabbed Volcano and went into the lava while we vented the thing to stop it. Conner barely managed to save Tornado before he melted away too."

Flash stopped, staring wide eyed at Robin. Both were coming to the same conclusion. In this world, there was an eruption in Yellowstone last October from a dormant volcano, but it only did some damage to the park. There was no explanation on how or why it erupted. With what was now said, there was only one conclusion.

Red Tornado died saving the world.

"Oh God."

Robin nodded, mentally coming to the same conclusion. He seemed to grieve for the robot and Flash couldn't blame him. Now he felt horrible for wanting to vibrate the machine apart. He could only pray for forgiveness for all the thoughts he had against Red Tornado.

The kid turned away. "Guess we both know what happened to him now. He turned traitor on you guys, then vanished right? Never seen him since. Died a hero without anyone even knowing it. T.O. Morrow is actually a coma patient at a hospital outside of Yellowstone. Red Tornado was trying to find him and take care of his 'father'. For a robot, he's surprisingly human."

Flash stopped walking, taking in what he had learned. The kid was still moving forward, trying not to feel the pain he did. For another moment, like many before, he saw the Bat in that kid's demeanor. Or at least someone trying to grow up to fill his cape.

"I'll meet you in the gym," he heard the kid mumble, his back still facing the speedster. Robin continued forward, not escaping but not stopping either. Just moving.

* * *

><p>AN: YAY! more changes! Really, the team's done a lot for the league. The next two chapters talk about that. Robin's seeing exactly how important he is in the world, just for starting everyone in the right general direction. Red Tornado, Belle Reve, Injustice Society, they're just a few of the things on the list.

I love how much Robin takes after Batman in small ways, a few small ticks he picked up, nothing more. Yes 'Old Chum' is something Bruce calls Dick in the original comics, and it's campy. So are all the holy-isms. I thought it'd be good to give them some fun secret like this about the early days, and give a good reason behind it. I could see Supes joining in on it too, and Alfred curing them.

TTFN!


	7. Ch 7 Consequently

**Disclaimer:** So i was watching Teen Titans and I remembered how much fun the story was. Unfortunately I have absolutely no claim on it, or anything DC owned. Like Young Justice! Sorry, don't own it peoples.

Okay, I'll admit this one's kinda a filler, but Dick's gotta face these things. Mostly just dick thinking of this adventures up til the series hiatus started again. So here he's going to figure out exactly what he's influenced or other events he's participated in, just not how yet. And he really is a sensitive fellow isn't he? =D

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 7 – Consequently**

It was harder for him to swallow than he thought. Robin was glad the gym's lights were based off a sensor and not a switch, because that meant not moving would darken the room. If he wanted a little privacy in this place, a place to hide, all he had to do was keep still. It also kept others from sneaking up on him. Even the Flash couldn't beat the sensors.

Once he was in the room, he found a corner with less sensors and angled himself so his back faced the cameras, and sat down. He took off his glasses and rubbed his head as he tried to clear it.

This wasn't his world, so of course everything could be different. Barry, Clark and J'onn seemed the same, but Batman, Oliver and Dinah weren't. He hadn't seen Red Tornado the other day. He should have known he wouldn't be there. He should have…

Dick couldn't stop the tears from coming out. Red Tornado was the one who taught him how to rewire machines. It was mostly to help him get put back together, but it was still something they shared. Red Tornado tried to understand them, despite being a machine and unable to feel emotions. He still tried. He always listened and he never judged a person by their age. Out of the whole League, he was the only one who let them take action without supervision. Mostly he seemed to be there in case the kids did something juvenile in the cave. He was less of a baby-sitter than any other Leaguer who tried to take his place.

They saved him. Him and his team. Red Tornado saved the world from red robots and T.O. Morrow. The team only saved a Leaguer. Their friend.

Dick bit his lip, trying to stop his tears and shaking. How much did his team mean to his world? Just how much had they done? Belle Reve, the mission Conner and M'gann started dating after, apparently fell. Without the alien couple, it seemed disaster struck. Very heavy on the dis. The Injustice Society, the time Kaldur put on Fate's helmet to save the day after he and M'gann took down the plants attacking the world. The time he fought Joker alone. Who knew how badly that turned out. Flash said it was a disaster.

What about their other missions? Santa Prisca? Amazo? Doctor Roquette and the FOG? Bialya? India and the Brain? What of those? Had the FOG managed to get into Wayne Tech? What about that Kobra Venom? Was Amazo still out there?

And then there were the adventures his team had when he wasn't around. Like when Kent Nelson died and Fate's helmet became part of their souvenirs. Or when Black Manta attacked Atlantis over some overgrown starfish. Or when Roy had to defend Lex Luthor in Taipei. And then there as Conner's adventure fighting Intergang and learning about Apokolips and New Geneses. And how could he forget hearing about Artemis and Zatanna's adventures in Manhattan fighting Harm.

He'd heard every story, knew about every incident. And every time these things happened, his team was there. They made things right.

But here the team didn't exist.

All because Robin didn't exist.

Guilt flooded him. Not for being Robin, but for Robin not being there. He had no idea how much rode on his back. Once there was a time he thought the world would be better without him. When he was eight, his parents just barely in their graves, he wished he fell with his parents. Wished so hard, he thought he would die.

But he didn't. Not in his world at least. Instead he was taken in by Bruce Wayne. He found the batcave. He became Robin. And he stayed in the game. He met the League. He befriended Speedy, Kid Flash and Aqualad. They grew up together, joined forces, found Superboy. They made a team. And all of it started with him.

Maybe this world was made because of his grieving wish. Maybe it existed because of a moment's choice. He was supposed to leap onto his mother's hands in the act, but he saw the sudden change in their faces and the tension in the ropes alter. He hesitated. That hesitation saved his life. His parents knew something was wrong, and they knew they were going to die. His instincts to not jump that one time saved him, and only him.

Now he saw something new. In order to save the world some day, Dick hesitated. By hesitating that one time his family died without him. He didn't hesitate very often anymore. Never when a life was in danger. Never when his friends needed him. Only when…

Slowly he shook his head clear of those thoughts. It wasn't helping. It only brought more and more homesickness in his chest. Dick had to go home. Robin had to exist in his world. Who knew what kinds of disasters were occurring there without him. If he wasn't there, would it become a world like this one?

Now he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what happened to his friends here. All he really wanted was to go home. Sure, tell the League everything he knew from his missions, tell them what they missed and maybe a way to correct their mistakes, but he couldn't learn everything that happened there without him. If he did, it'd probably break his heart.

The door opened and the lights blared on. Flash was there. "Robin?"

Quickly the boy put his sunglasses back on, glad they hid his red eyes and any sign of his tears. He stood up quickly and forced a smile. "Hey, what took you so long?"

Flash gave him an inquisitive look. After years of seeing masks with white lenses, Robin knew every expression these people made without even trying. "What were you doing in the dark?"

"I grew up in a cave," he joked. "The dark calms me down once in a while. Besides, it's fun beating Batman's sensors. Ever tried it?"

Flash raised an eyebrow, trying to see through the jokes and excuses. Robin only prayed this Barry would let it slide like his would. Batman's protégé wasn't allowed to show weakness after all. "Not really. I thought you'd be working out already."

He kept his smile. "Just needed to think for a minute. Got plenty of stories to tell you after all. Your interrogations need all the details I can provide."

The scarlet speedster's eyes widened in near panic. Robin gave a quick laugh. Of course he knew why Batman had Flash watching him today. It wasn't just because he knew how to deal with teenagers. He was a cop first and a friendly one most delinquents talked to when questioned. Course he was a forensics officer, but that didn't stop him from being the one kids preferred talking to in Central. He was questioning Robin in a good cop way. Batman's bad cop method was for hardcore criminals, not for lost kids from an alternate universe.

"Relax. I'd have answered every one of Batman's questions too you know. I would have answered any one of you. Batman though wouldn't want to listen through everything I've got to say, and I have to admit, it's easier talking to you than him right now."

Flash gave a sheepish smile, rubbing his cowl slightly. "You really don't mind then?"

"So long as you tell me how things went on your end." Robin strode forward towards the parallel bars and attachable rings, sizing them up for a minute. He looked around for some mats and spotted them next to the drinking fountain. He gave a silent thank you to whoever put them there. He could use the water to wash his face and hide anymore signs of crying.

Flash smiled. "Agreed. Now, tell me about Belle Reve."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So, Robin has a minor breakdown and then goes back to work. yeah, Barry's asking Dick everything he can, because that's his job and he's curious about a lot of things. I'm not gonna bore you with every new version of the missions, just an overview in the next chapter. Plus then you'll know what Dick actually gets to do while he's stuck there.


	8. Ch 8 Lessons Learned

**Disclaimer:** Can you imagine all the things you could make up without watching TV? Neither can i. Hence why I have fanfiction online and not actual original works out yet. *Sigh* Well DC owns young Justice. I just wanna see these things happen to them. Think they read minds?

Okay, now we're gonna see exactly what the differences are between the two worlds, mission wise. The League's reaction to the info is in the next chapter. More references to other works of mine! And to answer one review (I don't remember who's) Oops. Not gonna change injustice society to League any time soon though. I think in the comics it was more often society, right? =/

Also running some one shots when I can't think too much on this guy anymore. =P

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 8 – Lessons Learned**

"Kid, please!" Flash begged for what seemed the hundredth time. "Get down from there!"

Dick rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh. Flash was always worrying over the high wire stunts he'd pull, and always begging him to stop doing such crazy things, even in his world. It was only a few summersaults on parallel bars, some jumps and flips through the air above them, then catching the rings for a few more turns. And when he felt like resting, all he had to do was sit on the top bar. Usually though, he just hung upside down from it, just to scare whoever was watching.

And scaring Flash was always amusing. "How many times do I have to say it for you to get a clue? I'm a _professional_. Been doing this since I was three. Besides," Dick threw himself into another backwards flip, grabbing the other bar and turning perfectly on it to land his feet on top. He stood perfectly balanced on the bar, crossing his arms chidingly. "This is the only way to keep up with Batman. I've defied gravity and beaten death so many times in Gotham, it'd make your head turn."

"Does your Batman really let you get away with all those crazy stunts of yours?" Flash was at wit's end watching him, and it was funny to see him panic.

"So long as I stay out of the dinosaur."

"What?" Oh the confusion and desperation on the man's face was priceless. Just too good.

Dick gave one of his wicked laughs, unable to hide his mirth. "Inside joke. No, Bruce is so used to me doing these stunts it doesn't phase him any more. He's the one who said I was a pro when I was nine."

"A pro at nine?" If Flash wasn't wearing lenses over his eyes, Dick knew the man's eyes would be bursting out of their sockets. So he decided to prove, probably for the hundredth time, just how good of an acrobat he was. He leaned back slightly to fall off the bar, but caught it just before it came out of reach. He threw himself forward and caught his legs on the other bar. Quickly he turned off of it and flew forwards to the largest pile of mats he had set up. He turned into a quadruple flip and landed in a crouch onto the mats, just barely past Flash's position. For extra flare, Dick turned into a cartwheel backwards and stopped upright just inches in front of the man.

"Yep. At nine. Don't hold back the applause. I do this merely for your enjoyment." Flash took a step back in surprise as the boy bowed dramatically. A grin reached from ear to ear on his face. "Thank you for being such a wonderful audience."

The speedster just gaped at him. "Circus indeed."

Dick kept his grin as he stood up straight, then grabbed his jacket and sunglasses before heading to the drinking fountain. He'd been at his routines and been showing off for well over three hours. Mostly he was showing off. His routines only took thirty minutes.

When Flash wasn't freaking out at his stunts, Dick told him of his team's other missions, and listened to the Leaguer's version here. They didn't know what happened at Santa Prisca, or in Bialya. They knew something was up, but hadn't a clue what. Learning about the Kobra Venom, and that the details on it were in Robin's computer helped them greatly. Apparently there was this new drug appearing on the streets and no one knew where it came from or what its uses were. Mystery solved.

Belle Reve was a disaster. The super powered villains had escaped and it made history. Each of the Leaguers were on alert trying to hunt the people down. Amanda Waller had died and Dr. Strange was in charge of the prison, now specially reinforced by LexCorp. Dick suspected there was something wrong about this arrangement, and apparently so did Batman. He wanted to put extra security measures into the place as well, but WayneTech swore off Luthor years ago. They couldn't work on the same project. Many of the former inmates were still at large.

The Injustice Society and their plants trying to take over the world bit was another problem the League faced alone. Apparently Batman rushed to make an attack team to do what his team had, this one called the Outsiders. Dick had heard of each of the members before and knew Bruce considered them for something else, but relaxed when he realized his team took care of his mentor's original plans. The Outsiders didn't do well fighting Joker and the rest. Half of them either died or went mad in the fight. They finished the mission though, and a memorial was set up for them. The society was no more.

What happened in India and the Brain was taken care of by the Doom Patrol thankfully. Their Beast Boy was the only known child hero on the planet. The lucky green kid.

When it came to the FOG, Flash had little answers. There were no known tech labs being attacked by some kind of mist. Whatever managed to keep those nanites at bay was a mystery. Dick suspected if he asked this Batman about it, he'd get his answers.

The League personally took down, and kept down, Amazo. The GPS in the machine was deactivated after the M.O.N.Q.I.s appeared. Ivo though escaped.

Everything else though, all the missions and stories Dick heard over the year, they were all mysteries. Flash hadn't heard any of them or never knew what the end results were after certain events. That Nelson was dead and Fate's helmet may or may not be in the hands of some psychotic 'magical' kid unnerved the man. Harm was a rumor in Manhattan, one no one could pin down quite yet. He never heard of these 'New Gods' Conner had met, nor did he know a thing about what took place in Atlantis.

But the incident in Taipei, that he did know about. Apparently they were looking into something related to it at that moment. Or rather, the moment Robin had arrived.

Once Dick had finished drinking from the fountain, he put his glasses back on, wondering what kind of case Batman was having the League look into. Knowing him, and since he didn't have a team to do the behind the scenes work they did, he'd be trying to press how important the investigation is before forcing the founders into doing something about it. Automatically Robin wanted in, a habit of his. Any mission he could prove he was Batman's equal was one for him. He'd follow the man anywhere if it meant another minute with him.

It took all of his self control not to trick Flash into telling him more about it. This wasn't his world. He should only be focused on finding a way home.

Still, he was certain he gave Flash, and whomever was watching and listening over the cameras there (likely Batman and maybe a few others), all the information he had to help them. J'onn was right. He still believed in the League. If they needed his help, he'd give it to them, gladly.

He just needed something to do until he got home.

Robin peaked over his glasses to the speedster. Maybe they could spar for a bit? He was pretty sure there wasn't much more he could tell them, at least in general. Maybe a few specifics on cases in Gotham, but really nothing else to do with the League. No, sparing with Flash probably wasn't a good idea. The man wasn't too keen on it in his world, and this Flash was still freaking out over his acrobatics. Imagining the face he'd make when he felt one of his punches was enough to make Robin snicker.

"What are you laughing at?" The speedster cocked his head, trying to contain his frantic parental feelings.

"Nothing. Well, nothing yet. Maybe another day. When you're less freaked out."

The man blinked. "Less freaked out? What, were you planning another dangerous stunt?"

"More or less." Robin grinned impishly as he walked back to the mats, stretching his arms. When he reached them, he started stretching his legs before picking one of them up to put them away. It was something he did every time he practiced in the cave, a habit he formed back with his parents. Stretching while putting everything away was just what he did.

"You're beginning to sound like Batman." Flash's eyes narrowed shrewdly. By now, Robin made it clear even though Batman had taken him in, he wasn't quite like the dark knight. Laughing and smiling were seemingly foreign concepts to the bat, but never to this bird.

Robin just shrugged as he pulled two mats over to the stack. He did a few slow flips to stretch out his back and stomach before taking the last of the mats over to the stack. "So," he started once they were neatly away, "any ideas on what to do next?"

The speedster shrugged. "Ummm… dinner?"

The boy gave him an are-you-kidding-me look before answering. "Way too early."

"A snack then?"

Robin rolled his eyes, wrapping his jacket around his waist for the time being. "If you're hungry, go ahead and get something to eat. I'll just hop into the library and find something I haven't gotten to yet. Meet you on the couch. Deal?"

Flash gave him a skeptical look, not sure if leaving the kid alone for five minutes was such a good idea. Robin didn't really blame him since he had kind of vanished earlier when he went into the gym. Difference was, he wasn't as depressed as he was before. He wasn't going to 'escape' and he wasn't going to curl up in a corner for a few minutes either. Robin had no reason to leave the cave, just to find something to do until he could get back home.

"Deal," the man answered with some hesitation. Robin nodded with a smile and the two of them left the gym to go their separate ways. Truth be told, Robin wanted to take a shower after his workout, but felt bad about having to change clothes twice in that day. Flash forgot to buy pajamas or an exercise outfit. He'd just have to endure until he went to bed that night. Maybe he could just wear boxers and one of the Batman shirts at night, and when he decided to do more routines the next day (if he was still there), he could just wear the Green Lantern one. Yeah, that'd work. Or not.

Once in the library, Robin found it hard not to remember the days when he and his friends would play cops and robbers there. Sure Roy was sixteen and Wally thirteen, but it was good practice, or so they told themselves. They brought nerf guns and everything. Wally shot Superman in the eye one time and Roy got Robin when he shot through J'onn. Both aliens had joined in after a minute, and somehow conned Diana and Hal into the game. Flash was disappointed he missed it. He and Green Arrow were in a meeting with Batman, and the second it was over, the dark knight found his ward to cart him back to Gotham. Robin had to hide the toy before it was confiscated. Batman didn't even like toy guns.

Idly, Robin checked his old hiding place to see if it was still there. Instead of his secret toy, he found someone's playboy, a small box of Oreos, and a flash ring. Apparently other leaguers felt they had to hide things sometimes there. But why the ring? Replacing the books hiding the spot, Robin shook his head. Playboy had to be Oliver's, and the Oreos had to do with J'onn. Those two were just so predictable.

Slowly Robin toured the library, scanning titles as he went. "Read it, read it, read it, sounds boring, read it, dullsville, read it, sheesh… did they copy Bruce's study or what?"

He gave a heavy sigh before finding the classics. They were on his school's reading list, so why not? Until he could get back home, school was pretty much out of the question. "Maybe I should pick up some textbooks while I'm at it," he muttered to himself. Dick Grayson may have skipped two grades and won a mathlete competition, but it wasn't because he was a natural. He studied hard, and he only studied because he wanted to be Robin. Sure when he was little he skipped a grade, but he did it back then to be with the circus more. Now he wanted to be Robin all the time. The faster school was over, the more time he'd have as Robin.

So he picked out two classic pieces of literature, then started hunting down textbooks. He managed to find a geometry book, an American history text, and a chemistry book before he decided it was enough. His teachers would be satisfied if he kept up with this much work. Even his English teacher who hated his plays on words would be satisfied if he kept up with his reading.

Robin gave a heavy sigh as he glanced at his stack. It was a lot more than he planned on, but at least it was something. Slowly he left the library and headed toward the common room where he promised Flash he would meet him. Knowing the man, he would be chasing after him in a minute or two. Robin just had to be headed there to be in the clear. Explaining how long it took with just mentioning school would be enough.

Sure enough, just as Robin was near the common room's threshold, Flash was starting to take off to find him. The man blinked in surprise. "I was…"

Robin raised his stack for the man to see. "Figured I should keep up my schooling while I'm here. Any spare notebooks hanging around?"

Flash gave the stack another look, taking in the titles. "Whoa. Kid, this is—"

"I'm a freshman. High school. Skipped third and sixth grade. Miracle really, considering how many days I miss." Robin bypassed Flash, making his way to the coffee table and setting his books down. No time like the present to learn something after all. "So are there any notebooks around here? I don't think I've ever seen any. Not unless we brought them for school work."

Flash almost seemed to gape at him, and Robin couldn't blame the man. He went from giggling acrobat to serious student in the blink of an eye. It was always fun to keep him guessing.

* * *

><p>AN: Two notes before I ramble: He's Robin when he's covering his eyes, and Dick when he's not. His somewhat wacko behavior comes from all the sugary food he had that morning. =P Gotta love him.

So yeah, the Outsiders. They're a real group in the DC comics originally made by Batman to help him get Lucius Fox to safety. They stay together for quite some time last I heard, dunno how long. All I know is the second group of outsiders is led by Nightwing and Arsonal, and they kinda do the whole black ops thing. So Dick as a kid hearing about the people Bats is thinking of making into a black ops group isn't that far fetched. But since they had to rush to get the help, the team didn't really become a team in time to watch each other's back here. So just a mention, no cameos. Look them up sometime.

And about Dick's schooling, I decided to get closer to reality on this one. He's 13, skipped two grades, and landed himself at Gotham Academy as a freshman in the series. This seems to be cannon. he won a mathlete, but that'd have to be in 8th grade. Freshmen don't study calculus! If he skipped another math class (and I read in the comics that numbers aren't Dick's thing) he'd be in geometry! I know, I took prealgebra in 7th grade. I had siblings done with math before their senior years. Now since he's east coast vs west coast, I can't say exactly what order his science or history classes would be in. Out west chemistry's for juniors, same with american history, so I'm still throwing him ahead via me. sad isn't it, but I wanted to have him working on something he'd really have to work on. From my freshman year, I remember taking a boring earth science class and no history. Sophomore - Biology and World history. Didn't want Dick looking through bio textbooks and I remember Chemistry equations were hard. Plus Dick does learn chemistry from batman to make cures and the like. So I thought this was pretty believable. Oh, and reason he hates missing school: usually means he'll have to make it up double later and miss out on being Robin.

Yes, I'm huge on education, but I'm no teacher. =P


	9. Ch 9 Revelations

**Disclaimer:** If wishes were copyrights, i'd be rich. Unfortunately I'm only making ends meet. DC owns everything here but the story.

I have been duly reprimanded for being a bit cocky last time. Been quite a few years since high school so I really did't even remember what age I was when I was a freshman (14, summer baby). Thanks to everyone who's from the east coast and teaches, I'll be sure to correct everything after the full story is out. =) Grammar and spelling errors are all I'll correct immediately.

Anywho, besides feeling like an idiot, here's the next segment. Still kinda stuck at one point with the 'getting the league out of the mountain' part later on, so suggestions would be great. leaguer kidnapping and turfwar are so far the best ideas I've gotten from people. any others or how to mix it all up would be dandy. Remember, it can't be aliens and it has to be an easy fix for them

Now enjoy this next part, and how I mention in two more cast members who won't make appearances here. =P

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 9 – Revelations**

It was nearly eleven that night before the League came back to the mountain for another meeting. Robin was still working on geometry problems and it was becoming quite apparent he had to think harder for math than any other subject. Smart as this kid was, any adult could see it was through hard work and not natural talent. This kid was no quitter, hence why he studied several grades beyond his age group.

Superman was the one to call Flash away from the kid, and both encouraged the kid to head to bed. Robin looked over his sunglasses at the two, then looked at the time. "Wow. Didn't realize it was that late."

"You really need to eat dinner too," Flash insisted. Just then the kid's stomach growled.

"He hasn't eaten?" Superman stared in shock at the boy. He was a growing child, it was late at night, and he hadn't eaten yet?

Robin shrugged. "Too busy thinking about other things. Any clues on how to send me home?"

The boy's eyes were barely visible, but it was clear he was almost begging for a yes. Sadly the kryptonian shook his head. "Not yet. We're still going over the data and—"

Robin hopped over the back of the couch and headed to the fridge in response. He had his answer. "I see. Well running back through where I exited didn't work either. Maybe you could get Zatara or Jason Blood to look in on it."

Both men stared at the kid and his brave face. They could tell it was forced, Flash more than Superman. They remembered the kid's screams the previous night, and despite the kid's efforts, the man of steel heard the kid's sobs before he passed out. Like Batman, Robin was not one to show weakness, even in front of friends.

"We'll call them if what we have doesn't pan out," Superman insisted. Robin peaked his head out of the fridge, giving him a knowing look over his glasses.

"Batman's orders huh?" Superman shrugged in response. The boy sighed, shaking his head. "Ignore them. I need to get home asap. Any resource is better than 'just science for now' reasoning. I'm not exactly Black Casebook material anyway."

Superman couldn't help but to smirk. "You really know Batman don't you."

"Better than most. Don't you guys have a meeting to get to?" Robin went back into the fridge, taking out different pieces to make a sandwich. "I'll be good and go to bed in the hour. Just need to digest this stuff first."

Flash looked up at Superman for a moment and shrugged. The boy had proven he'd stay where they could find him at the least. He hadn't attacked Flash once during the day, and he had answered every question he'd asked the kid, in detail. Plus he spent hours just sitting on the couch studying. Far as the speedster could tell, Robin was a good kid and would do what he said.

"Promise you'll go straight to bed?" Superman checked.

Robin seemed to laugh at the idea. "Straight to, no. After a few other things you'd approve of, sure. And I'll try not to scream too loudly tonight."

The Leaguers exchanged looks then glanced to the boy before leaving the room. "G'night Clark. Night Barry," was barely heard by the two men as they headed toward the meeting.

First thing the League founders covered was Robin. Everyone seemed to gather round Flash as he made his report. He told them of Robin's good behavior and of how friendly he acted. He reported on his amazing acrobatic skills (which still scared him, thinking of the risks the kid took) and his hard working intelligence. Then he told them of the boy's team and their missions, comparing them to what the League had encountered this past year.

Nearly everyone was in shock when they heard about Red Tornado and how he possibly saved the world. Hearing the possibility of Kent Nelson's death also saddened them. Many mysteries were solved, but the biggest shock came when Flash looked to Superman and told him cautiously about Cadmus and Superboy.

"I have a…" The man of steel gaped at Flash, caught between many emotions. It had already been confirmed that kryptonian and human DNA were too different for there to be children. Bizzaro was a clear failure in cloning him, and Kal-El as the only one of his kind. Besides, he loved Lois. He couldn't look at another woman, even if she was (by the slimmest of chances) physically compatible with him.

A fully functioning, teenage clone of Superman was probably the closest he'd ever get to having a child of his own.

But at the same time, being told you had a child all the sudden would always be a shock to whomever heard it. A clone, that was even more troublesome. What kind of kid could this possibly be? What could possibly go wrong with it? Would it be able to do all the things he could? How in heaven's name did Cadmus even manage to make him?

So many overwhelming questions filled Superman's mind, to the point he had to sit down to take it in. Flash just watched over him with concern. "Now I know why he said to keep it on the down low."

"Congrats on being a dad Clark!" Hal's attempt at lighting the mood fell short of its mark.

"That's one way to look at it," Green Arrow started. "First Bats has a kid from an alternate reality and now Supes. Who's next?"

Flash gave GA a glance. "Did I mention in his world you, I and Aquaman have sidekicks? And you've had two of them."

Dinah found it hard not to laugh at the archer's shocked face. It was enough of a reaction to end Batman's glare of death at the man when he said 'Bats had a kid'. Flash hid his smile when he thought of the relationship Canary and GA had in Robin's world. The kid left little out.

"So, once things are settled with Robin," Flash concluded, "we go after Superboy, right? I mean, we can't just leave him down there can we?"

"I've had my suspicions on Cadmus," Batman reminded them. "It'd be a good idea to look in on them at the least."

"And while we investigate," Hal concluded, "Supes can take custody of his son!"

Superman gaped at him, still not at terms at the concept of a child of his own. "How long until Robin can go home? 'Cause I'm not ready for a Superboy just yet."

"Scans and data are inconclusive at the moment." Batman turned to the computer screen again, showing what little he had learned. "Far as I can tell, there's no direct path back to his world."

"Ah, so he's not a very good clone." Batman gave Hal a quick glare, which the space cop ignored and grinned at.

"No, he isn't."

"And not an alien either."

"Nope."

"Then he's not a threat?" Hal concluded, obviously pushing a point he brought up the previous night.

"He's a liability." Batman continued to type on the computer. "You're still watching him tomorrow."

Hal gave a frustrated glare to the Bat's back. "But I've got a date!"

"I've got a possible family crisis I never even heard about until today Hal." Flash gave his friend an exasperated sigh. "The least you could do is watch out for the kid for one day. He's pretty low maintenance. Imagine all the things you can learn from him."

"Not really that interested in other world Batman secrets," Hal interjected. "Boring!"

"Then just watch the kid do his routines in the gym. You'll be leaping out of your skin after the first half hour."

The space cop eyed his friend for a moment. "Does the kid spar?"

Flash looked up in thought. "He didn't ask… oh. He mentioned not doing something more dangerous until I was less freaked out, but didn't tell me what."

"Holding out on a fight." Hal crossed his arms, a little amused. "Are you sure this is Batman's kid?"

"Point of the matter," Batman interjected, a growl in his voice, "is it will take more time to send the boy home than we thought. There's even the possibility he's here to stay."

Every Leaguer looked at Batman before looking at each other. They knew the kid wanted to go home. He needed to go home. But if everything indicated the kid was stuck there, what were they going to do with him? They couldn't keep him in the mountain, could they? Robin was a liability, no doubt about that. He knew who they were, he knew his way around the cave, and he knew how to press everyone's buttons, for good or for ill. But he was still a kid.

"Um," Superman started, "Robin mentioned calling up Zatara or Jason Blood. Maybe we should—"

"If we can't find a solution by the end of tomorrow," Batman growled, "I'll call them myself."

They all nodded. What Batman with his science couldn't do, he'd stow his pride and let magic take a shot at it. They had to get this kid home, no matter what.

The dark knight gave them a moment of silence as he changed screens on the computer. It was back to Kord Industries and the possible maniacal plot between Theodore Kord and Lex Luthor. What happen in Rhelasia was still on the man's mind. "Back to Kord and Luthor. I found a hidden program underneath his website. His computer systems are almost impenetrable, but there is a backdoor. We just have to unlock it."

"And you haven't yet because…" Green Arrow emphasized his question with his hands.

"Because no algorithm I've tried has worked." The Bat glared at the screen. "Kord's security password isn't one I'd think of. I've tried his parents' names and birthdates, his schools, other family members, teacher's names, products he's patented, everything I can think of. What I need are possible passwords."

"So we're here to give out ideas?" Hal clarified.

"Pretty much."

Everyone but Batman and Superman exchanged glances. Superman was still thinking of the possibility of having a kid at Cadmus, and it continued to floor him. The rest shrugged. As much as they wanted to get back to their homes and catch the rest of the Belle Reve escapees, they knew if they couldn't crack this tonight, Batman would continue to bring it up until they did.

So they guessed. All of them. "Tried his dog?" "What about an old girlfriend's name?" "Maybe the place he first worked." "His mother's maiden name?" "A favorite book?" "A movie actor?" "42!" "How about colors?"

They bounced ideas off and on each other, trying and failing to figure out what could possibly be a password Batman would never guess. Before they knew it, it was two am and they'd run out of ideas. Even Superman, after finally joining in, gave up. Everyone's heads hurt from thinking over and over again what could possibly be the password.

"I give," Flash muttered. He was tired, and frankly he wanted to see his wife before work tomorrow. "There's just too many possibilities. There's gotta be another way to look in on this guy."

"Did you try 'scarab'?"

Everyone stopped and stared at Robin. For some reason he was still awake. A coke was in one hand and the books he was borrowing were pinned against his chest with the other. He looked every bit like a high school student if it weren't for his sunglasses indoors at night. He seemed to be raising an eyebrow behind them. "Last I knew, he always used variations on the word 'scarab'."

"Variations?" Diana asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Flash demanded. Superman also looked upset about the boy being there.

Robin shrugged. "Wasn't tired. Late dinners and all that. But yeah, Ted likes to switch it around in his firewalls, at least on his site. Leet, semi-leet, caps, varying caps, punctuations, putting azure in between letters, changed languages, things like that. But always 'scarab'. At least that's how it is back home."

They still stared at him in shock, then Batman jerked around and put 'scarab' and it's variations into the password decoding program. Within two tries they were in. Flash turned on Robin, infuriated. "Why didn't you tell us about him before?"

The boy shrugged again. "Didn't think he'd be an issue. What, did he disappear or something?"

If it weren't for the obvious innocence in his inquiry, they would have believed the kid purposely withheld information for his own benefit. But Robin continued to look at them in curiosity. He honestly had no idea what they were talking about earlier on Theodore Kord.

"Kord has been quite active," Batman responded, typing quickly. There were several layers of protection to dig through, but now he had an idea what to use, going through each one was child's play.

"Then why are you checking up on him?" Robin seemed to be getting more and more confused. "Is his uncle coming up in your cases or has Hub been attacked lately? I don't remember anything like that back home but…"

"He's working with Luthor." Superman walked over to the boy, slightly exasperated. Did he need to be taken to bed to get some rest?

Robin was taken back, slightly confused. "Ooookaaay… So he's doing some undercover corporate work, big whoop. Since Wayne Tech isn't an option and Queen Industries doesn't have the resources Luthor needs, Ted's probably the only option you've got."

"Undercover corporate…" Diana wondered, exchanging glances with others.

"Wait, you're calling him Ted?" Hal stepped forward, voicing a thought the others hadn't quite caught.

"Um… yeah. Been calling him that since…" The boy stopped, realization coming to his face. He gave a frustrated sigh. "Forgot. Different world."

He shook his head, mentally chiding himself while the others exchanged glances. Superman placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's late. You're tired and confused."

"Yeah I am," Robin admitted. "Forgot for a moment what was going on."

"You should go to bed."

"And you should trust Blue Beetle."

Everyone stopped. Even Batman's fingers froze. They stared at him in shock. The boy looked over his sunglasses to them, proving how serious he was. "Ted Kord is Blue Beetle. His old teacher, Dan Garret, was the first Blue Beetle, and when he died because of his uncle, Ted took his place. Couldn't figure out how to use the scarab, so he trained himself to be a hero and made awesome gadgets to make up for it.

"He's a bit of a genius. I've never been able to crack his other systems. I only know his password because of a guess Tim made when I was hunting him down to get his autograph two Christmases ago. Tim really wanted it, and I wanted to make his Christmas. Figured out he was Ted Kord when I followed the money and designs back to him in Hub. He was so impressed with my detective skills, he gave me two copies. Timmy loved it."

Everyone continued to stare at the kid, stunned at his story. Hal was the one who spoke first. "Wait, you figured out Blue Beetle's ID, to get someone a Christmas present?"

Robin shrugged sheepishly, looking away. "Timmy's a really cute kid."

"Drake?" Batman asked quickly. Robin nodded. Everyone else stared between them, baffled.

"Our neighbors. I baby-sit Tim on occasion. He's a die-hard Blue Beetle fan." Everyone else still gaped at him, but Batman turned back around to the computer, making his way through the firewalls. Robin felt like he had to explain a bit more. "He's six. Besides, I told my Batman what I did and frankly he was impressed. At least I think so. Think he convinced Ted to join up on the reserves shortly after."

"Unbelievable." Half the League founder's jaws were wide open at his explanation.

"Yeeeeaaahhh…." Robin looked around the room at the baffled adults and felt his face redden. Embarrassed, he looked at the ground and turned toward the hallway to get to his room. "I think I'll go to bed now before I say anything more embarrassing. Night."

The kid almost ran out of the room, everyone but Batman's eyes on him. It was almost endearing how he responded to their amazement. This boy was a wonder, through and through. With one moment, he could break a case wide open. Even Batman seemed to be second guessing their current course of action. Unbelievable.

* * *

><p>AN: LOL! don't really know how Ted Kord joined the League Reserves or how anyone got his ID, so I made it up! Tim really is a Blue Beetle fan, or at least that was what I read somewhere online. Liked him before he knew who Batman was. And since I've already written in 'Bird-sitting' that Tim and Dick are already close, I had to do something fun with that. =P

Honestly, i think the reason Clark didn't accept Conner right away was because of the shock. I read other stories where he has to warm up to the idea, because when a kid is just thrown at you out of the blue, it's kinda scary. What I know for certain is by Infinite Crisis, Clark and Conner have a close relationship. They didn't start close in the comics; I mean, Superboy copyrighted the Superman name while he was "dead". Fun times.

And like how Clark had thrown a 16 year old clone at him, this bats was thrown a freshman (okay, not sure if he's 14 or 13 here. Until they pass November in the show, I won't know and keep his age ambiguous in everything between his two possible birth dates), Orin a mysterious teen, and GA two angsty teenagers. I'm sure both J'onn and Barry can handle what they've learned easily enough. It's just fun seeing these guys react. XD


	10. Ch 10 Just a Small Moment of Peace

**Disclaimer:** I may write letters of protest as long as I want, but nothing I say will get me rights to young justice. DC owns them, nuff said.

Yes, Robin is brilliant isn't he. I'm pretty sure everyone's noticed by now that I like to sneak Tim into these stories as much as I can. I think that's the only time he'll be mentioned in this one. Been working on what should have been a one shot where the kid really is there, so just ignore the fact I haven't been working that hard on this one for it. Still need a scenario to get the League out of the mountain peoples. only got 6 more updates before I have to have it. =/ help?

Oh, fluff scenes ahead. Lets see some more tears. *cackles evilly*

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 10 – Just a Small Moment of Peace**

Robin's ears didn't stop burning even when he made it to his new room. He quickly entered the room then shoved the stack of books onto the dresser, hoping to take a quick shower and change before crashing. Exhausting himself was his goal so he didn't have nightmares again. He just hoped it was enough.

Before he could dig out a Batman shirt like he planned to use for sleeping, he spotted a few more bags on his bed. His uniform was freshly pressed and hanging on a hook on the closet door, much to his surprise. Curious, Dick took off the sunglasses and dug out his mask from his pocket, placing them on the bed stand before opening the bags. In one was a set of blue cotton pajamas and in the other two sets of blue acrobatic workout clothes. All were the same shade as his eyes and were just the right sizes.

Dick bit his lip. He knew who left them there. Though he doubted this Batman knew what his favorite color was, he could get Alfred to match his eyes. These were even the same patterns as the ones he wore back home. Those two… even in another world, they would unconsciously spoil him.

The last bag had hygiene products inside, making the boy realize this place didn't have any waiting for him beyond hand soap. Grateful beyond words, Dick grabbed what he needed that night and went straight into the shower.

It felt good to be clean again. The pajamas were a familiar comfort. Even the sent the shampoo he used gave off made him feel at home. Feeling much calmer, Dick turned off the light and laid on the bed, letting himself sink in and drift off to a peaceful night's rest. Only then could he believe everything was right in the world again. Only when he dreamed.

* * *

><p>Though he knew he didn't need to, the dark knight came into the boy's room about two hours later. Batman had guessed right it appeared. Or rather, Alfred did. He told his butler and oldest ally about the boy and asked him to fill in the holes Allen had forgotten about. Shoes, pants, underwear, socks and shirts (though not all of them to the Bat's liking) even a set of sunglasses per special request, were taken care of. A belt and jacket were as far ahead as the speedster thought. But after Batman had looked through it, he saw a few problems. The kid's original clothes would need cleaning. He needed something to wear to bed. He needed personal care items to remain clean. It wasn't until he saw the video link of the kid doing his acrobatic stunts did he think of exercise clothes. Thankfully Alfred was still out and able to pick something up.<p>

Because Alfred was the one to choose each product, Batman had hoped they'd be the same as what the boy used in his world. As many familiar subtleties as possible would lessen the kid's nightmares, and in turn make him more complacent and easy to talk to. Though the kid was clearly uncomfortable talking directly to him at the moment, he could talk to the others. All he had to do was ensure the kid slept peacefully. That's why he was checking on him right then.

Batman looked over the kid, reading his body movements as he slept. He wasn't as restless as last time. The previous night the kid tossed and turned until this nightmare took full flight. It wasn't even ten minutes after the boy woke from it that he passed out again. In Batman's arms no less. He'd start twitching and moving again as soon as Batman left his side, so the dark knight had stayed there the entire time the kid slept.

This night though, the boy seemed at peace. There was enough familiarity around him and his subconscious that he didn't fear a thing. The kid stirred slightly when he entered the room, but made no moves since. As if the man entering his room in the middle of the night was perfectly fine and normal. How in all the worlds did this boy's Batman raise him?

Trying to understand it better, Batman took down his cowl and watched the boy sleep with his real eyes. The boy laid on his side, one arm barely concealed by his pillow. The blankets entangled his legs snuggly, sure signs of the boy moving as he slept. His expression was content, almost perfectly so. The innocence he detected in the boy's voice earlier that night was clear as day on the kid's face. He seemed to remain a carefree child when he slumbered.

Bruce didn't know how long he just watched the boy before a slight shift brought him back to reality. He had to get back to Gotham. He couldn't watch this kid sleep all night, not for the second night in a row. He was about to replace his cowl when he spotted the boy shifting again, a slight moan coming from his throat. Slowly he put a hand on the kid's exposed shoulder, wondering if he should wake him before the nightmare took off. Then the boy seemed to relax again, a slight smile coming to his lips. The man let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Slowly he pulled the blankets up to the boy's chin. Maybe keeping the kid warm would stop the nightmares from coming.

"Bruce?"

The man stopped, looking straight into the boy's barely opening eyes. He nodded. "It's alright Dick. Go back to sleep."

"Mhm hmm." Dick shifted onto his back before drifting back to sleep. Bruce let out a small sigh before adjusting the blanket again and letting go. He looked down on the kid, then placed a hand on his head. The boy automatically smiled.

Batman readjusted his cowl as he quietly left the room. He couldn't understand why he did any of that, but found no shame in having done it. At least not until he spotted Superman watching him down the hall. Judging by the expression on the man's face, he saw the whole thing.

"Not a word Kent."

The Bat strode by the alien, hoping to avoid any comments on his behavior, but he caught up with him, a grin on his face.

"I'm just enjoying not being the only surprised father here."

"He's not my son," Batman stated flatly. Dick was from an alternate universe for one thing, and would be the Grayson's child for another. This boy couldn't be his.

"Your actions say otherwise." Knight glared at boyscout, more out of annoyance than anything else. Superman continued. "Have you ever considered adoption Bruce? Not to get a partner to fight crime with, but just for your own sanity's sake. Ever thought about sharing your private life with someone outside all of this? From what I see, it looks like you'd enjo—"

"I can't bring anyone else into this." Batman's statement seemed final and cold, but after so many years knowing the dark knight, Superman could hear the pain in his voice. He had considered it. He had considered marriage, family, even putting away the cowl for a normal life. But he knew the risks this life would bring, and he couldn't bear losing another person because of him. Alfred being by his side was enough. He could protect him easily enough, and the man could protect himself just as well. Anyone else was out of the question.

"But Bruce," the alien insisted, "this kid's proven you don't—"

"I can't Kent. End of discussion." With that, Batman launched himself into the Zeta-tube, back to Gotham and the dark world he could handle. Far away from that calming light that boy provided. Far away from the one moment he felt peace.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So here we have Daddybats rising, but also fighting the dark knight's need to be alone. While our Bats gradually warmed up to the idea in Robin's world, here he's been slammed with a kid and is trying to just deal with another person. Internal conflict of paternal instincts with his reasoning and rules. Fun times.

yeah I realized earlier that I was missing things in Barry's shopping trip. This was the fix. Not too shabby. Batman won't be appearing again for some time. He's kinda scared of what Dick's presence will do to him. =P YAY FLUFF!


	11. Ch 11 I Am a Hero

**Disclaimer:** If I owned this, it'd be on the big screen and cannon. Unfortunately I don't. DC does

*snickers* yeah, sorry to all those who wanted to just read Batfluff! batman's next appearance won't be until after chapter 20, which I haven't gotten to but judging by my writing, it'll be after that. Still need a scenario guys! What can take the league out of the mountain for eight hours? Ideas please! Without that, i can't do the next set of batfluff scenes! *Sigh*

Anywho, this story is more on Dick's importance than family ties. let's just see how he interacts with other leaguers and how he can manage his own.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 11 – I am a Hero**

"Wow kid!" Hal commented, grinning. "You sure pack a punch!"

Robin grinned in response, parrying a blow from the space cop. "You should see the gym back home. Alfie stopped repairing the dents in the wall after I turned eleven. I think there's a closet filled with spare punching bags for when we break them."

"I can believe it." Hal had to block a kick then turned quickly to keep the kid in his sights. He flipped over the aviator and landed a kick off his shoulder, throwing him back into the air for a back-flip. The man turned just in time to see him land in a low crouch and spring forward at him. He dodged the kid barely, pushing the kid to the side in his defense.

"Always fight with those flips of yours?" Hal couldn't count how many times the boy managed to get behind him or leap just out of reach. The turns and flips the kid did were phenomenal. Watching Robin's routines earlier took his breath away, making him wish he took up acrobatics instead of going to flight school when he grew up. This kid seemed to fly through the air, just like a bird.

"All the time." Robin rolled with last attack, proof his defensive training was a higher priority than offensive. Again the kid launched at him, landing a couple quick punches through his guard. Hal managed to read the kid's next few moves, blocking and diverting each of them as they came. Still, this kid was fast and determined. He was landing blows.

"Starting to read your moves kid."

"Only took you an hour." Robin giggled impishly. The two had been sparing for over an hour, and it didn't look like Robin was slowing down.

"Hey, how long do you and your old man practice anyway?"

"Getting tired?" The mischievous grin on his face drove the tired man to push forward. He was not going to let this kid beat him.

"Not hardly!"

Robin quickly blocked the man's punch before answering his question. "Batman and I go at it for two to three hours on the weekends. We try for an hour on weekdays, but you've heard how Gotham is. There are weeks we're just in the field"

The boy wrapped his leg around Hal's knee, forcing him to the ground. Hal had to use all his ingenuity to get out of the kid's next trick: a pivot off his hands as he swung his other leg into Hal's shoulder. It almost looked like break dancing. Hal dove to the side, narrowly missing the kick and rolling away. "Sounds hard."

"Worth it though. Ever tried taking down a dozen mobsters without getting shot? Not easy." This time Robin rose to a fighting stance, ready to take whatever Hal would throw at him. His smirk invited the space cop to try anything and everything to take him down.

"Why do you live with it?" Hal decided he wasn't going to attack. Instead he stood to his full height and crossed his arms. "I mean, you could be anything you wanted right? Why this life?"

Robin seemed to be rolling his eyes. He must have heard this question a lot. "Seriously? You're asking me that? Sheesh… some things never change."

Taking the hint the fight was over, Robin went over to the side and grabbed a water bottle and towel, shaking his head. Hal watched him for a minute, hoping the kid would answer his question. Once this train of thought was taken care of, he'd ask the kid how he managed to keep his glasses on all throughout the fight. He only took them off when he was on the parallel bars and rings. Hal stayed where he was, giving the kid a you're-not-getting-out-of-this look to ensure he got his answer.

Robin looked over his glasses and sighed. "I'm doing this because I can't standby and watch things happen. I saw my parents fall to their deaths when I was eight. When Bruce took me in and I found out he was Batman, I found a chance to get them justice. With his help, I took down Zucco and made sure he never made another orphan.

"Then I saw Bruce come home every night exhausted and beaten from fighting in Gotham. I saw reports on the news and read rumors online about him, and learned many people were scared of him." Robin took a drink from his bottle, catching his breath in a way.

"That was kinda the point of his costume," Hal pointed out.

"To scare criminals, I know." The boy looked back to him. "But what about the times he's not dealing with criminals, but ordinary people? Or kids? They were all terrified of him. I just kept seeing different scenarios where he'd need someone less scary to help him out, someone local.

"So, when I was nine I ran off in an old leotard and cape and fought crime." Robin smirked at Hal's shocked face. "Yeah, Bruce was tickled at the idea too. Must admit, not my brightest idea. The leotard that is. Took some doing, but after proving he couldn't stop me from going out after him, he finally made me his partner. Being stubborn and 'gifted' has its advantages.

"I've seen a lot of things these past five years," the boy reminisced. "Lots of things. I've been kidnapped more than any other kid on the planet, drugged more times than I can count, been shot, beaten, electrocuted, tied up, drowned, the list is endless. Most kids would probably turn tail and run. But I can't.

"Because if I did," the pain and worry on his face set Hal back, "who knows what'll happen next. I couldn't make sure Bruce would come home the next night if I'm not out there with him. I've seen already what me not being Robin's done to the League here. And all those missions my team's done, can you imagine what other small things I've already done back home has affected? For all I know, I might have saved the next president of the United States, or stopped a thug from becoming a mob lord because I took him down now. With all those possibilities, I can't just stand by when the world needs someone to stand up and fight. I have to fight."

Hal stared at the kid for a minute, marveling at him. This kid could be a Green Lantern some day. Or maybe an ordinary cop. He stood and fought despite the things he's seen, just to make sure someone else was taken care of. This person was a hero, through and through. Any one of them would be proud to have him as a son.

"That's why I fight. Not for myself, but for others. My case was solved a long time ago." Robin wiped the sweat off his neck, breathing deeply to change his outlook. "So I train all the time with my Bruce. The more I learn, the more I'll survive out there and the more people I can help. Sure it's brutal, but if you want to survive the streets of Gotham, you better be the best."

Hal shook his head, amused and amazed. This kid was a miracle. "Got it. I got it. Sheesh, I never thought I'd find someone at your age so ready to give up their life for this business."

Robin smirked. "I know many more than just me back home. I'd introduce you to them, but I don't think it's really possible. You want to go another round?"

The boy cocked his head, challenging him. Hal rolled his eyes and shook his. "I rather have lunch."

"But you didn't use your ring!" Robin actually sounded upset about that. "You were holding back on me the entire time."

"No I wasn't!" In truth, Hal hardly held back at all. He couldn't underestimate this kid for a second. That was how good this boy was.

"Then why didn't you use your ring?" This time Robin crossed his arms demanding answers.

"How can I use my ring on a powerless, unarmed teenager?"

The boy rolled his eyes. "To teach me to expect the unexpected. I learned how to fight Superman for Pete's sake. Still working on it frankly. Never know if I'll have to take down his clone or get some alien parasite off of him or if someone like him shows up in Gotham to kill the next king of Mars or something. Just good to be prepared."

Hal gave him an are-you-kidding-me glare before rolling his eyes. "Kid, you're impossible. I'm not throwing everything at you on the vague chance you'll go out tomorrow and fight Sinestro."

Robin looked away, pouting slightly as he shrugged. "Let me take a shower and I'll meet you in the kitchen for that lunch."

The pilot grinned. "Frozen pizza sound good?"

"Sure." Robin turned and headed to the showers behind the gym and locker rooms. "Just make sure you cook it all the way this time."

As the kid vanished, Hal wondered how often his counterpart and him hung out.

* * *

><p>"How's he been today?" Superman asked the space cop around ten that night. He looked through the wall to where the boy was studying chemistry. A half eaten sandwich sat on the table next to the stack of books, and today he wore a Flash shirt.<p>

Hal grinned. "That kid's stronger than he looks. You should feel his punch some time. And those kicks, whoa! I swear, if I didn't know a Batman had trained him, I'd say some assassin did. You should see the way he moves on those parallel bars too. It looks like he's flying through the air sometimes. Each of his moves blend together and—"

"Okay, we get it," Black Canary interjected, stopping him from rambling even more. "He's a really good fighter. If he weren't our ally, we'd be in trouble."

"Pretty much." Hal leaned over into the doorway to check on the kid again. They spent most of the day either talking about random adventures they had or in silence. Hal wasn't that good at school work and the kid insisted on studying over watching TV. He must have deliberately skipped out on it to stop him from thinking of the outside world. "But he's a hero at heart. I bet even without his DaddyBats taking him in, he'd become a cop or something. He just got lucky being found by one of the big three."

"Who's watching him tomorrow?" Dinah asked quickly.

"J'onn." Superman continued to look through the walls to the boy. Robin took off his sunglasses for a moment and rubbed his eyes. Wearing them all the time must be a headache for the kid, but he persisted at it. He picked up his sandwich and took another bite before putting it back and going back to the textbook, taking more notes. "Zatara's coming over too."

"Couldn't find any answers for the kid today either?" Hal asked quietly.

The man of steel shook his head sadly. Batman wasn't coming to the cave that night, but he sent a progress report to Clark, telling him science wasn't going to help this time. Zatara was called in.

He hadn't heard from Flash all day either, but they could only guess he was looking in on whatever Robin had told him about his nephew. A possible family crisis? That could only mean the boy had more personal information to confirm suspicions the man already had.

The kid had nothing really new to give Green Lantern it turned out. He only told him the short version of how he became Robin and why he continued being a kid hero. Robin was right in some sense, they could all see it, but a kid shouldn't be the one to help the dark knight. If he were an adult, they could support his actions. But a kid? Watching the boy working on complex chemistry equations was just one of the normal things he should be doing.

What was the Justice League in his world thinking? Robin shouldn't be Robin, but just another teenage boy. But if hearing his story and listening to him earlier told them anything, this kid couldn't be stopped. He'd be a hero either way, with or without the League's help.

"He's gotta be pretty disappointed with us," Hal muttered. "Two days and no answers on how to get him home. Now our Bats is avoiding him."

"Joker's out in Gotham again," Superman explained, jerking his attention to GL. "You know that takes priority in his mind. He's not avoiding him. You should have seen Bruce last night. He was like a dad for a moment. I bet in Robin's world, he's a great father to him."

"What kind of dad trains his kid to beat up thugs left and right?" Hal pointed out.

"The kind who live in Gotham." They looked at Dinah and remembered she lived there for quite some time. She knew what she was talking about. "Rough city that one."

The men exchanged glances and shrugged. What did they know? All they saw was a young teenage boy.

It took another hour or so for the kid to get tired enough to go to bed without any delays. An earlier dinner helped, plus he had worked up quite a sweat with Hal earlier in the day. Superman was certain the boy would pass out before making it to his room.

The man of steel stayed over the past two nights, making sure the boy was alright before leaving for work the next morning. And like the other two, Robin started having a nightmare. He didn't scream or make any loud noises this time, but he tossed and turned until he woke up and calmed himself down. Superman guessed if Batman had appeared for a moment or two, the boy wouldn't have woken up.

It didn't take terribly long, and once calmed down, Robin settled back into his bed, tucking himself in. Superman watched it all through the walls, and noted how depressed the boy woke up to be. He must have wanted Batman there to tell him everything was going to be alright. Such a child.

A child really shouldn't be a hero.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So in short, the League is kinda divided on whether Dick should be robin or not. This'll become an issue later. Hal and Dinah are somewhat okay with it, Batman too because he knows the kid's background. Flash i think is in the middle because he talked to the kid a lot. The others are either undecided or like Superman here, but Supe's not thinking of Robin just being Batman's partner (they've all had time in Rob's world to see the changes before meeting Robin after all), he's thinking of a kid going out and fighting crime in general. It's gonna take some persuasion.

Oh, for some comic facts: Dinah in one version of her background did live in Gotham. Dunno where she is in this world. Dick all grown up does become a cop in Bludhaven too. i also read a world's finest volume where doctor destiny spliced League members with teen titans, and Dick and Hal were slammed together. I remember batman commenting that his relationships with the two were very different, but the two were a lot alike. So I think they'd get along well here.

I'm pretty sure Dick's gonna have nightmares every night until he goes home unless Batman pops up at least once. We've pretty much seen a few of Dick's fears here too, mostly losing Bruce or being unable to do everything he can. i guess I'm getting pretty deep into his psychology here. =/ not a shrink but I do analyze characters for fun.


	12. Ch 12 It Matters to Me

**Disclaimer:** Ya know, I just finished watching the Red Hood and I was reminded of how awesome DC's universe is. I guess that's why I write stories based on it. Now if I could write for them (which I don't) I'd get some money with this. Still poor. Owning nothing sucks.

Well good news! Finally got that scene I've been asking for help on done! Compiled of different ideas people gave me actually so it should work out quite well. So now just gotta push through a couple fight scenes to get back to daddybats. =P I take it a lot of people like that more than all the introspective stuff I do, plus torturing a certain bird.

Now to expand on the last line I wrote in the last chapter.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 12 – It Matters to Me**

When Dick woke up that morning and found J'onn eating Cookie Crisp for breakfast, he couldn't help but smile. So the Martian would be his sitter that day. He couldn't imagine sparing with the man, but he didn't think the Martian would stop him from running around the cave freely. He didn't have to physically be there to keep an eye on him. Martian psychics rocked that way.

"So," Robin started, pulling some eggs and milk out of the fridge, "what's the news? Will I be going home today?"

J'onn took his time chewing his cereal before swallowing and answering. By the time he opened his mouth, Robin was halfway through the French toast prep work. He'd had enough cereal to last his cravings for a while. "It is unlikely, but we are trying a different method today."

The kid smirked knowingly as he fired up the pan. "Called in the magicians eh? Sweet. So can I watch or do I have to stay out of the way the whole time?"

J'onn shrugged. "Stay on hand I suppose. We won't know for certain what to do until after he arrives."

"So it's okay if I wander around the cave on my own then?" Robin tried to spin it his way as he cracked open the eggs and mixed them with some milk. "You can call me back in an instant. Not like I've got anywhere else to go. And I bet the exits are all locked down anyway."

The Martian gave him a good long look before answering. "Maybe. The others told me it'd be wise to watch you on the 'parallel bars'. Something about spotting?"

Robin gave a long sigh. "Yeah I guess so. Oh, a spotter is someone who's there in case I slip and fall. They can call for medical help. Usually a good idea to have one. Just used to like a million cameras being around so I don't usually have one."

The boy finished putting the ingredients together and started dipping the bread into the egg mixture before putting it onto the hot frying pan. The Martian watched him cook in curiosity. "I see. I wondered what they were talking about. If I may ask, what exactly are you making?"

The boy wonder stopped then looked to the sky as he let out a breath. "Seriously, am I like the only person you know who makes French toast? You asked me the same question two years ago."

"French toast?" J'onn cocked his head in curiosity.

"Its bread fried in an egg mixture," Robin explained, again. "You can add milk, cheese, seasoning or whatever you like. Alfred puts paprika on it after it's been cooked. My mom put milk in the eggs and my dad put lots of maple syrup on top. I used to put tons of powdered sugar on it after, then Alfred hid the sugar. Still can't find it, but I know he has it somewhere." It was the greatest mystery Robin couldn't solve, and Bruce would never tell him.

"I was not aware Batman enjoyed maple syrup."

Robin took a deep breath before responding, flipping his breakfast first. "No, Bruce usually doesn't do syrup. He pretty much eats it plain. He's not my dad."

Confusion entered the Martian's voice. "But the other night, you thought—"

Panic started surging in the boy's chest. Crap. Did he have to read his mind back then? He jerked his eyes up at the Leaguer, not sure how to explain their relationship. "Look, I've never called him 'Dad', 'Father' or anything else like that. He's Bruce. Just Bruce. When I say Dad, I'm talking about my birth father."

"But your thoughts—"

"I know what I thought." He looked away, really unsure what to say to the Martian. J'onn in his world wouldn't have brought it up, but he knew Robin since he was eleven. "It's just… it's complicated. Alright, it's complicated. Our relationship…" How could he explain it? How could he explain how the two of them were together? All the things they've gone through, all the things they've done, everything that happened. "It's just complicated."

Martian Manhunter watched Robin for a minute, not saying a word. The boy was grateful for the silence and focused on making his breakfast. The piece was starting to burn, and with the pan finally hot, the rest would cook faster. Quickly, ignoring his burning ears, he put the toast on a plate and slapped the next readied piece on the pan. It was nearly done cooking when the Martian spoke again.

"Would it help if you let me see into your mind and showed your memories on your complicated relationship?"

Wide eyed, Robin stared at the green man before him. Would it help? The man just asked if he could look at every private moment he had with Bruce, all the good and bad times they've gone through. That was five years worth of memories. Five years! How could he let this man go through five years worth of his life? Each memory was precious.

Well maybe not the ones of him getting beaten to a pulp. He was pretty sure those weren't any good for him. And the ones of him being drugged. He could live without those. What about all those memories of being a prankster and getting punished for the tricks he pulled? How would that affect things?

It was the smell of burning eggs that brought Robin back to the now. Quickly he took the bread off the pan and poured the remaining egg onto the pan to cook it. There wasn't enough to coat a third piece. As he scrambled it, he thought over the offer again. Let J'onn into his head to see what his relationship was with Bruce so he could possibly tell the League and get them to stop coming up with a different idea, or letting him make his own assumptions from bits and pieces?

"It is alright if you do not want me to—"

"Fine," Robin mumbled. "But only a gloss over. Don't go too deep. You're asking for five years of my life. And only memories relating to Bruce, got that? And don't ever bring up specifics with others. It's all personal."

Personally, Robin couldn't believe he was going to let him in his mind willingly. Surface thoughts were as far as Bruce allowed M'gann or J'onn to see. Once he let M'gann go back six months in his head, but he had no idea what happened during that timeframe. Stupid evil psychic. Though here it didn't matter if J'onn knew everything about him, it was still his mind and he wanted some secrets kept secret.

The Martian nodded respectfully and Robin returned his attention to breakfast. He turned off the heat and scooped up the eggs onto his plate. While J'onn's eyes glowed, Robin felt certain memories surface in his mind, and he personally focused a memory with Alfred. It kept him from thinking of the other secrets he had.

As he ate, the Martian's probing continued, lingering on particular memories of him as Dick Grayson. Memories of being a somewhat normal child with Bruce being a normal man, those rarer ones where no training was involved and nothing had to do with crime fighting. Robin glanced up at the Martian, annoyed and embarrassed. "I said a gloss over. They're personal."

J'onn stopped. "You can tell?"

"Duh. I've been trained by _the_ Batman. If he can tell, I can. He focused on defense in training more than anything else. And I've worked really hard over the years keeping secrets." Robin finished up his small meal, glad he made just enough this time. "Never know when a small slip up will put him or the League in danger."

"So you are always on guard?" The boy shrugged, nodding slightly in response. "Hence the sunglasses."

Robin gave another sheepish shrug. "Don't they look cool?"

"It must be difficult." Manhunter gave him a disapproving look, one the boy was used to receiving. "To constantly be on guard—"

"It's not as hard as it looks and really I don't mind it. If I can be of any help, it's worth it." Half of that was a lie, and he knew the Martian would pick it up, but what else could he say? He promised Bruce he'd keep their secret until he gave the OK. Robin hadn't even told Wally or Roy who he was, and they were his best friends. But this was the cost for this life. Absolute secrecy in exchange for the protection of others.

"A child like yourself should not have to be on guard like this." The firmness in the man's voice was one Robin knew well, and did not want to fight against again. "You should be able to walk down the street without fear."

"Try living in Gotham some time."

"You should not be swinging from rooftops facing psychotic murderers."

That was it. It was one thing to tell him he shouldn't follow Bruce anywhere and follow his ridiculous rules. It was another to try and convince him to give up being Robin. Instantly he was on his feet, tightly controlling his emotions to stop himself from lashing out. He couldn't fully control the fury in his voice though. "I'll be in the gym."

"Robin," Manhunter started but he couldn't stop the boy from walking out the door. Though with his powers he could have, if the man had any common sense, he knew he shouldn't. Robin needed to calm down. Taking his identity, his freedom under that mask, was one thing he'd never allow.

When J'onn finally joined Robin in the gym, it was to see him flipping through the air in his usual routines. Dick added martial arts moves to it this time, imagining he was back in the Gotham slums beating up thugs like always. He quickly caught the bar as he fell from the sky and did a series of turns as he mentally pummeled Two-Face's body. Clayface would have been good too, but getting that particular psycho always felt satisfying.

The acrobat purposely ignored the Martian, not quite ready to forgive him yet. Years ago he had to prove to the League he was more than capable to keep up with Batman. He chose this life for himself, not just because of Bruce. He wanted to go out and save people. He loved fighting the good fight. Flying through the air to catch the bad guys was more fun than playing basketball. Course if he played any games with the League or his friends, it could be just as good, but only barely. Being Robin was the best thing in the world.

Proving it once was bad enough. Now he had to prove it a second time? "Can't I just go home?" he muttered to himself, still upset.

The Martian could tell he wasn't wanted there at the moment, and he left after twenty minutes. Dick knew he'd be watching on monitors or mentally scanning the area to make sure he didn't do anything bad, but he didn't care. He didn't need a sitter, and despite knowing J'onn meant well, he really didn't want him around at the moment. Maybe in a few hours?

It was about an hour and a half later when Dick had an unwelcomed mental intrusion again. It was an expected one of course, but the timing was inconvenient. He was getting ready to strip down for a brief shower. '_Robin, your presence is required in the main hall._'

'_10-4,_' Dick immediately responded, a touch of annoyance in his message. '_Just give me 15 to freshen up._' It wouldn't take that long to clean up and get dressed, but he was still upset at the Martian.

Whether he realized it or not, Robin dragged his feet over to the main entrance hall. As much as he wanted to get home, he really didn't want another Leaguer to tell him not to be himself. J'onn only said what was on all the other people's minds and it irked him to no end. Who were any of them to say he couldn't be Robin? What did they even know about him? All they knew about him was what he told them, and pretty much all he talked about were his friends and his missions.

So what did they know about him?

Mentally he recounted everything he said before. He was dead in their world. In his, he survived his parents and grew up in a circus (the only piece of information Robin was sure Batman told them). Bruce took him in when he was eight. When he was nine he became Robin. Batman trained him. He was a professional acrobat. He had a team of child heroes, all his friends, most of them super-powered. He skipped two grades and was over all a kind of genius. He would hunt down people for friends' Christmas presents. He pulled pranks on different League members and knew his way very well around the mountain.

"Did I miss anything?" Robin asked himself out loud. Come to think of it, as he counted down the list, there was little telling them about his personality. They did know he had a sense of humor and liked pulling pranks. But they didn't know exactly how stubborn he was. At least not yet. You can't really tell someone you're stubborn, they have to learn it themselves.

Hopefully this J'onn was well on his way to learning this by now. Nothing entered his mind unless he let it, and he wasn't going to budge on being Robin. It was his choice, no one else's.

Robin nodded his contentment before entering the main hall. First Leaguer he saw was Martian Manhunter, but it didn't take him long to see Zatara. It was the third body in the room that floored him.

"ZATANNA?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Didn't see that one right? Well maybe you did. I've said before Dick had no influence on Zatanna's life. Zatara had a daughter long before Bruce took in Dick. What path she takes has absolutely nothing to do with Robin. Hence why she's a safe one to bring into this story. =D I'm a Dick/babs fan myself, but until babs has a more constant spot in earth 16, I can only work with Rob/Zatanna. No real romance going on, just somewhat childish teasing/flirting, plus a little comfort later on. You'll see.

So, now Dick's gotta prove to the League he's a hero again, and that he can't be stopped. He's gotta prove he's a hero, because it matters to him. I kinda like how J'onn's eating cookie crisp and asking Dick what French toast is. Basically gave you a simple recipe too. Enjoy!

Now I'm gonna watch the best superman movie I've ever seen, the one where he dies. Go doomsday! XD


	13. Ch 13 PlayDate

**Disclaimer:** If I owned this, do you seriously think I'd be trying to come up with new ways to eat Ramen? nuh uh. DC owns all it's characters.

Well, let's see... several people don't want Robin/Zatanna, and others are shocked at her coming. Well, I have to say this. She's not in here long, just to be used as a foil. And how she gets things to work is fun. This is I think the only time we get into her perspective. Dick really needs someone his own age to talk to for a bit, that's all. I'm a dick/babs fan but in YJ we don't know if he has a crush on her yet. Just remember Dick's personality when he responds to Zee okay? And in this world he kinda likes her. *hides from angry people*

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 13 – Play-date**

Zatanna turned to the boy calling her name, curiosity trying to hide on her face. Her father asked her the previous night if she wanted to use her free Sunday to see the League's headquarters for a personal favor to the Flash. Of course she said yes, without listening for a moment to the request. When she learned what it was, she knew she agreed too quickly. Flash wanted her to hang out with some kid from an alternate universe. Her dad was supposed to help the kid find a way home if there was one, and she was supposed to baby-sit.

At least that's what she thought she'd be doing. No one told her the boy was around her age and really cute. And his voice… She just had to hear him sing later. Still, Robin was quite a girly name.

She took a moment to take in the sight in front of her before answering him. A Wonder Woman shirt underneath his jacket didn't add to his credibility, but those baby blues creeping out from behind those sunglasses did. Oh yeah, this one was a keeper. Did her dad have to send him back to his home dimension? Couldn't she just keep him with her in Vegas? She'd get him a more manly shirt and name there.

Zatanna gave him a warm smile at last. "Hi. Um… how do you know who I am?"

"Ahhh…." Robin's slack jaw was adorable. The blush on his face was also promising. Quickly the boy pushed his glasses back up his nose and nervously rushed forward to greet them. "Sorry, forgot for a moment. Hi. Name's Robin. The kid from a parallel world you've heard about. You two working on sending me home, right?"

Zatara looked down on Robin, a slight amount of disapproval on his face. Zatanna wanted to roll her eyes at her dad, but reminded herself she had to be on her best behavior if she wanted to ever come back here. This cave was just too cool! "Yes I am," her father stated. "I'm Zatara."

Robin politely took his hand, shaking it. "Robin. But you knew that. Batman call you over?" The kid did a quick look around unconsciously, deliberately trying not to look at Zatanna out of nervousness. She suppressed a giggle. Too cute.

"The Flash actually." Her father's eyes were becoming colder towards Robin, and the boy could tell. Nervously he took his hand back and tried to stand a little straighter while bowing his head a bit. "Now how do you know my daughter's name?"

"Ah, um, well…" Robin rubbed the back of his head, trying to calm himself while thinking. He glanced at Zatanna again, his face reddening a little and a smile coming out at the corners of his mouth. A reflex. A good one. Keeper!

After a breath, Robin explained. "In my world, you brought Zatanna over to our team. We've hung out a few times and she's gone on a mission with us too. Not a normal thing I assure you," the boy added as Zatara's eyes became dangerous. "Only when necessary or when Batman deemed them safe enough. Besides, she's a pretty good magician on her own. Saved our tails a few times."

"Really?" Zatanna's face broke into a broad grin. Her dad may be her best friend, but he did everything he could to protect her, mainly keeping her away from the superhero biz.

"Yeah," Robin continued, grinning at her. "And after a little training, you pack quite a punch. Artemis told me you were really good on a motorcycle too. And you never freaked out in a fight, kept your head together and the plans you came up with were—"

"I see." Zatara's tone ended the boy's rambling. Robin knew he had to tread carefully in front of her dad. It was too bad he stopped. Zatanna wanted to know more about her other self and how soon it'd take for her to go out into the field. "Well, then I believe we should hurry to send you home without delay."

In an instant, Robin's whole demeanor changed. He suddenly became serious and focused, nodding silently to her dad and ready to do whatever he was asked. It was painfully obvious in that instant he wanted to go home.

Zatanna sighed and stepped to the side to watch. Not like she could help much anyway. When she turned away, Robin jerked his gaze towards her. "Hey, aren't you gonna help?"

Both magicians blinked at his suggestion. As much as Zatanna wanted to, she wasn't quite to her dad's level yet. Zatara glared slightly. "My daughter isn't ready for this level of magic."

"But she is ready for a few of the preliminary spells though right?" Robin grinned. "Nothing like on the job training. I'll be a test dummy."

Everyone stared at Robin, shocked at his offer. Zatanna gaped in disbelief. "You honestly don't mind a rank amateur casting spells on you?"

"You'll do fine. I trust you."

The confidence in his voice all but convinced her to try her magic on him. He honestly believed in her! He _knew_ she could do this. Instantly she looked at her dad, a begging smile on her face. Zatara instantly became unsure.

"Robin," Martian Manhunter interjected on their behalf. The boy looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "It is important there are no mistakes if you are to go home. It is best—"

"Sheesh J'onn! When are you going to learn you can trust us?" The boy turned on the Martian, not a single drop of fear on his face. Just an annoyed scowl. "Kids and teenagers are far more capable than you give us credit for. I've seen Zatanna in action back home, and she's still the least experienced out of the rest of us. She's great. Have a little faith in her will ya? And me while you're at it."

"Robin…" The tone in the Martian's voice told the girl they stepped in on an earlier argument, one Robin was still mad about. It must have involved not believing in him or something. But hearing this boy's faith in her and her abilities gave her confidence like nothing else.

"She'll do fine," Robin repeated, turning towards her father with a confident smile. "After all, her dad taught her everything she knows."

Zatanna looked between Robin and her father, knowing this would make or break the deal. Zatana raised an eyebrow at the boy, thinking. '_Please oh please oh please oh please,_' she repeated over and over in her head.

Finally her father nodded. "It'll be good practice. Zatanna, the reveal spell if you would."

'_YES! THANK YOU ROBIN!_' she mentally screamed as she skipped back to their side. A little ways off, Manhunter gave an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. No wonder the boy had argued. Slowly she remembered the spell, and prayed she got it right. "Laever sih s'arua tasp!"

A flash of light and they could see the energy around Robin as clear as day. Strong and defiant, yet a gentle blue with a little sadness. It told them a lot about his personality. Stubborn and strong minded, this was a person not easily swayed. Emotional too, but more toward kindness and sympathy than rage. He didn't lose his temper often. And the size of it, well this boy had courage and confidence. Very nice indeed.

Her dad frowned slightly. "Not quite what I was looking for."

"Oops," Zatanna shrugged, not really feeling guilty.

Robin looked at his hand and the energy around it. "Is this bad? Looks nice to me."

"No it's not bad," Zatara stated. "Just not what we needed."

"Can I keep him?" She asked as a joke, which only made the boy blush a little. His aura had a few flares of pink in it now. Her dad gave her a quick glare. Instantly she stepped back. "Just kidding."

"Reverse it."

"Okay okay. Odnu tahw saw enod." The aura vanished in an instant. Thank heavens she could end all her spells easily.

"Cool." Robin gave her an encouraging grin. "Wanna try again?"

She grinned at him, then to her dad. He nodded. "Alright. Laever sih s'arua htap!"

In an instant, they could see the strong blue aura shoot off from Robin's back and back the way he came. They all looked beyond him to where it went, faster than anyone else could normally see. Zatara nodded. "Good job. If it continues at this pace—"

The blue light shot back towards them and to the kitchen area. "We should see his exact point of entry in five minutes."

"And you'll use that as a starting point?" Robin's attention was split between the light fleeing the kitchen then back down another hallway towards the bedrooms and Zatara. "Why not just ask? I know exactly where I was when I got shot here."

"Analyzing the exact point of entry and how you arrived here is key for finding you a direct path home." Zatara looked down on the two teenagers kindly. "I think this is all I'll need for a while. Zatanna's lessons haven't gotten to this point yet, so why don't the two of you go have some fun?"

Zatanna and Robin exchanged glances and smiled. They shrugged almost in unison before heading off. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Want a sandwich first before I show you around the cave?"

Zatanna grinned. "Sounds great. Breakfast kinda sucked this morning."

Robin looked over to her in curiosity as he led her to the kitchen. "Breakfast? It's practically lunch time. Where are you from?"

"Vegas. What, didn't know?" She grinned impishly at his bewilderment. This kid was just too cute.

"Geehh… not really. Batman kind of triple encrypted his files after the last time I hacked them. Only met Zatara two times before meeting you back home, and there wasn't really any time to get the 411 from you on our expeditions." Robin actually looked sheepish having to explain himself. "We kind of kidnapped you for the first one anyway. Your dad almost wouldn't let you out of the house again."

Zatanna laughed. "Sounds like Dad alright. But I bet your dad's the same way. You really Batman's kid?"

He gave a small huff before a smirk. "Yes and no? I'm adopted. My Batman took me in as his ward when I was eight, but we finalized the papers a few weeks ago. Kind of like a Christmas present to Alfie, and us. We… er… it was just hard for either of us to officially become family.

"Though if you look at our history we practically are. Have been for a long time in a way." Robin looked away, blushing a bit while thinking about it. Zatanna thought it was cute how he got embarrassed so easily. "Not calling him dad though. That's just too weird."

"So did he call you Robin?" She had to know what was up with the girly name.

Robin blinked at her, then laughed, a little affection in his voice. "Nah, that's my mom's name for me. Dad made sure it wasn't my real name, but I like it all the same."

In the kitchen, Robin found the bread on the counter and started rifling through the fridge for sandwich pieces. Zatanna leaned against the countertop to talk more. "So what's your real name?"

"Huh?" He looked over his shoulder to her, confusion on his face.

"I mean, you know my name but I don't know yours." She gave him a knowing smirk. "Kinda puts me at a disadvantage." Robin hesitated to answer her, so she pushed. "Is it something really girly? Like Ashley or something?"

"Did anyone tell you my full situation?" The fact he didn't answer her question wasn't going to be ignored, but she hoped his would lead to somewhere.

Rolling her eyes she answered. "You're from an alternate reality where Batman raised you into a child superhero. No powers but was raised in a circus. That's about all I got."

"Here I'm dead."

The girl gaped at him. What? Robin continued, taking the last of the sandwich supplies out of the fridge and onto the counter so they could use them as they liked. "The big difference I see dividing my world from yours is when my parents died. Here I died with them. Robin was never born and I died a circus brat. And if you think that wasn't enough to change the world, you're wrong. Robin is apparently quite significant to the next generation of heroes.

"Not you of course," Robin insisted, trying to make things better. "I have absolutely no influence over whether you become a hero or not. I think you're the only one of us who's a direct blood relative to anyone in the League back home. I'm adopted, Roy's adopted, Wally's Flash's nephew by marriage, M'gann's J'onn's niece (don't know how), Kaldur's just an Atlantian citizen, and Artemis is faking being GA's niece. Kind of weird how that turned out isn't it?"

"Yeah, real weird." That was a lot of weird relations. Lucky her, being a literal child of a League member, though not one of the founders. Yet if her dad had any say in the matter, she'd never be allowed to go out and fight crime.

"So you'll probably be a hero whether I'm here or not." The boy grinned as he started putting together his sandwich.

Zatanna grabbed a few slices before continuing her train of thought. "But what's your real name?"

Robin looked away a little before answering her. She wasn't going to let him steer her away. "Look, I'm dead here. So it doesn't matter."

"If it doesn't matter, why won't you tell me?" Zatanna persisted, a grin on her face.

"I don't want you looking for my grave when I'm gone," he insisted, a slight amount of desperation in his voice. "You should only remember a living me, not a dead me."

"Then just give me a first name!" The girl waved her pieces of bread around as she spoke, not letting him back out of her question. "Robin's a girl's name. And you are not a girl. I really need to call you something manly."

Robin hesitated, obviously caught between something else and her logic. He closed his sandwich and mumbled, "Dick."

Instantly she felt offended. "What?"

"It's my name," he insisted quickly, trying to fix the hurt she felt. "Actually a nickname. But Richard just sounds too formal for me. I'm a circus kid. So I always went by Dick. Seriously. I wasn't calling you a—"

Zatanna laughed. This guy was too cute. He flushed bright red as she laughed. "It's not that funny!"

"Yes it is!" She grinned at him, poking him between the eyes just above his glasses. "You're funny. A girly name while fighting and an insulting one when you're not. That's hysterical."

Robin looked away, very embarrassed. "Oh shut up. I like my names."

"Not saying they're bad," she retracted between giggles, "just pretty funny. Why pick them? Why not Richie?"

Instantly she received a death glare over his sunglasses. "I've met 'Richie's'. They're real jerks. Besides, my dad called me Dick. I like it."

His tone told her that was the end of it, no compromise. "Fair enough. My friends back home call me Zee. Wanna try it?"

Her offer quelled the fury he had from being called 'Richie' and won her a smile. "Zee. What, was Zatanna not cool enough for you?"

She laughed at his joke. Easy to forgive. Keeper! She finally started making her sandwich. "It's just a little long. Zatanna Zatara's a bit of a mouthful."

"A nice mouthful." She laughed at his attempt at flirting. He was just too cute. She just might learn to like this play-date.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Hmmmm... think there wasn't enough magic bits in here? I felt like there wasn't enough. )=/

Well up to this point, only Batman's called him Dick so I thought it'd be a good idea for Zee to call him that, and bring up a fairly good/funny point about his names. yeah Zee keeps calling him a keeper, and he is, but I think she's more toying with the idea than going for it. Dick's just too cute.

As for Vegas being her home town, I'm making that up. When I looked, I wasn't quite sure where she was from so i just put her in Vegas. Oh, all her spells are just going to be normal semi-impressive sentences backwards unless I can find one in her arsenal.


	14. Ch 14 Speaking of Training

**Disclaimer:** So I was reading a few fics today (got nothing better to do) and saw all these witty disclaimers up top saying nothing they wrote was theirs but owned by DC comics. That sound familiar to you? *scratch head*

Oh the things people come up with! Well i'll try not to work on the one shots in my head for a bit and finish what i've started. Realized I missed labeled some of my chapters coming up and I've got less written than I thought. *shrugs* oh well. Hoping my depiction of Zatanna is doing well, and just an FYI, I've never taken any fighting courses so whatever instruction is given here is probably wrong. =/

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 14 – Speaking of Training**

"Straighten your back," Dick instructed, helping Zatanna with her fighting stance. "It'll give you better support when you land a kick."

"Like this?" Zee pivoted onto one foot and threw the other one into the open air.

The boy shrugged slightly, tossing his head side to side. "Not quite, but close enough for now."

This is what Zatara witnessed when he finally decided it was time for the two to go home: Robin teaching Zatanna the basics of hand to hand combat. She already knew a few moves for her own protection, but Robin was giving her a crash course for the field. Dick's sunglasses were off to the side next to some water bottles and towels, and both were in exercise clothes. It was clear they were at this for a while, and enjoying every minute of it.

"The real trick to taking down big guys," Dick continued, "is to throw them off balance and hit them hard in just the right places. It doesn't take much, just a little forethought and being faster than them."

"That how you took down that gang on your own?" Zatanna settled her footing and then retied her hair back. The smile on her face came from the thrill she felt from learning how to fight that day. Anyone could see it.

"A few of them. And Croc once too." The boy grinned impishly. "That was before he started mutating. Always ugly though. Batman never let me take down the real nasty ones." He gave a nervous laugh. "They're just a liiiiitttle too much for me right now. Maybe in a few years."

Zatanna laughed. "Give yourself some more credit Dick! I'm sure you can handle the big guns."

"Are you kidding?" Dick grabbed a towel and a water bottle and tossed them to her. "Kobra beat me pretty good last time, and you don't even want to hear about the last time I faced Joker." He shuddered as he picked up his own. He really didn't want to face that psycho again any time soon. "I may be brave, but I'm not stupid. Bats can have the big guys all he wants right now. I'll only try them if I've got backup."

She grinned at him. "Not as good as you pretend to be eh?"

"Oh I'm good," the boy insisted, a grin returning to his face. "I'm just not at their level yet. When I grow up, I'm going to be one of the best. That's a guarantee."

"Not _the_ best?" she teased.

"Think anyone can beat Superman head on?" Dick shook his head, smirking. "I'm hoping I'll be on Batman's level, his equal. Way better than Green Arrow and maybe on par with Black Canary is all I know I'll get to, but Batman's the goal."

"Plan on taking the cowl someday?" It was a harmless question, and her smile wasn't malicious, but the question always unnerved him.

"Not if I can help it." He took a drink from his bottle, a familiar dark dread creeping into his chest. No, he couldn't be Batman. He couldn't do everything for the sake of the mission. The only reason he'd ever be forced into that cowl is if Bruce…

"Why not?" The girl wiped the back of her neck, cooling herself off.

Dick raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever met Batman?"

She shook her head. A smirk came to his lips. "Well if you ever do, you'll know why. I'm just not him."

Zatanna watched him for a second before speaking again. "Think I'll be as good as my dad?"

Dick grinned. "Counting on it."

"Alright you two," Zatara started, taking both of their attention away from their constant chatter. "It's time for us to go home."

Instantly Dick was on his feet, picking up his sunglasses as he approached the magician. Zatanna dragged her feet. She obviously wanted to stay longer. Dick was having fun talking to her as well, but he wanted to know if Zatara found a way for him to go home more.

"Did you find anything?" Robin put his sunglasses back on, a touch of desperation in his voice. Zatara's grim expression was all the boy needed to see. The hope in him faded some, being replaced by dread. "Nothing?"

"Nothing at the moment," the man clarified. "I have to do more research and find another spell that'll allow you to return to your proper world. And Martian Manhunter has informed me of some alien technology that might help you return. The League has limited interaction with other realities, but the rest of our universe may have some answers."

He nodded, but the man's reassurance did little to help Robin feel better. Another attempt to finding him a way home had failed. Earth technology couldn't do a thing for him, and neither could Martian, Kryptonian, Atlantian, or Thanagarian tech. Nothing the League had on hand. Even in their many archives of alien tech in their hideouts were apparently useless here, otherwise he was sure they'd bring them over by now. The magic Zatara knew off hand did nothing. Looked like all of Robin's hopes of going home rested in either dusty spell books or in whatever the Green Lanterns and other space travelers could turn up with.

Who knew how long that would take.

The boy took a deep breath before grimly nodding. He had to keep a brave face about this, but every time they found nothing, it only increased his fear of never going home and seeing his world again. And if everyone else's mood in the League were like J'onn's, who knew if he'd ever be able to go out into the field again. Being cooped up like this was going to kill him. There were quite a few reasons why he went by Robin.

Robin looked over to Zatanna, giving her a broad smile. "Thanks for hanging with me today. Haven't had this much aster in quite some time."

The girl giggled. "It was quite whelming for me too. See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" He looked back and forth between the magicians, almost as if he was begging them to return. "Really?"

"Course!" Zatanna insisted. "I bet dad hasn't finished all his spells yet, have you?"

Zatara raised an eyebrow. "Not all, but every one I know off the top of my head. Do you really want to spend your holiday here?"

"Holiday?"

"Martin Luthor King Day," she explained quickly.

"But we had school off last Monday," Robin informed them, confused.

"East coast, west coast I guess." There was a twinge in her eye telling Robin that wasn't the full story. Guess he was going to find out the truth later.

Zatara nodded. "Well, if you're certain you want to be here instead of with your friends—"

"Robin's my friend too," Zee interjected. "I can see them any day, but how often will I get to see him? I mean, he's dead here."

Robin ran a hand through his hair, nodding at the magician's surprised face. He probably told Zatanna everything about him, at least everything relevant. No League secrets and very little about Batman, just every secret he told his friends back home. And if he had anything to say about it, he wasn't going to be staying. Zatanna knew it. He knew it. One day he was going to go home, hopefully soon.

"I see," the man said slowly. "Well, then we better make the most of this visit. Shall we?"

"I'll walk you out." Robin draped his towel over his shoulders to keep them warm as he led them out of the gym and towards the Zeta-tubes. He continued to talk to them, smiling his excitement of seeing both of them the next day. So far the only constant visitor he saw there was Superman, and that was definitely because he was taking the night shift on him. Clark really didn't need to sleep very much, and though he was nice, he kept telling him to get some sleep. He couldn't wait for Zee and her dad to come back tomorrow.

Zatanna laughed merrily at one of his jokes just as they made it to the main hall. Superman was talking to Martian Manhunter in low tones, putting Robin immediately on mental guard. No need to alarm Zee to his worries around them.

"Not used to being nonchalant are you?" Zee joked back to Robin, her clothes changing to warmer ware before his eyes.

"Thought you wanted me to chalant you?" Both grinned impishly while the father shook his head.

"Your English teachers must be proud," he muttered, looking towards the ceiling. The other two spotted the aliens and smiled. "Zatanna, I'd like you to meet Superman."

The girl froze, her eyes widening in amazement. Robin couldn't help but to giggle. He remembered the wonder he felt when he first met Clark back when he was nine. Those were some good times. Batman's jealous growl was endearing then too.

Superman smiled at the girl and approached them smoothly. Ever the boyscout, he offered his hand to Zatanna. "Hello there. Zatanna right? Zatara's daughter?" Zee nodded dumbly, taking his hand in amazement. He shook it, a kind laugh in his eyes. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"You've heard of me?" She whispered, flabbergasted.

"Of course." The man of steel looked towards her father who smiled sheepishly. "Zatara talks about you all the time. You're the apple of his eye."

Pure joy lit in the girl's face and no one could blame her. Her dad talked about her to the League. Superman knew her name. Now she shook his hand. Robin was certain if Zee kept down the path she was on, she'd one day be calling him Clark as well and think of him the same way he did.

Once he released her hand, Superman turned to Zatara. "Anything?"

The magician of the League shook his head. "It wasn't made by magic, so finding a route for him back by magic will be difficult. I'll keep trying," he added looking at Robin who forced himself to keep from looking crestfallen. "In fact, we're coming here again tomorrow for a fresh start. Zatanna has the day off."

Superman nodded, a smile growing on his face. He looked over to Robin and the boy could tell he was thinking of his happiness. Robin tried not to blush but didn't stop his pleased smile. If he was stuck there, the least he could do was make friends with the other children of the League.

If he was stuck there? '_When did I become such a pessimist?_'

"That's great. Wonder Woman will be here tomorrow so—"

"Wonder Woman?" Zatanna exclaimed in excitement.

"Diana?" Robin blurted out, not entirely pleased. Sure he got along with her, but couldn't it be King Orin or Dinah? Dinah would be great really. Even Ollie would be better. Diana didn't control her strength while fighting and she was always trying to push her teachings around him. Robin had a feeling if she was there, he'd be hitting the books more than talking to Zatanna or teaching her how to fight. No fun.

"Yes, she agreed to watch you for the day." The man of steel gave Robin an inquiring look, which the boy quickly dodged. He did not want to explain himself regarding Diana. "Her people's insight might even help you get home."

"Right. Sorry." The boy shook his head to clear it. "Thinking of something else, don't worry about it."

"Not fond of her?" Martian Manhunter interjected, raising an eyebrow, or where an eyebrow would be.

Robin looked to the ceiling, wishing the man wasn't psychic. "Don't hate her, just prefer her with someone near by rather than on her own. You know how she gets."

All three men exchanged knowing glances over the young girl's bewildered looks, then nodded. Zatanna pitched in her two cents. "Then why were you wearing her shirt earlier, Wonder Boy?"

"Boy Wonder," Robin corrected, a smirk on his lips. "Blame Flash. He bought the thing. It was that, a Flash, Green Lantern or Batman shirt. Wore Flash yesterday, and I'm not sure when Batman's coming by again. It was the safest choice."

"Safe? Why?" She cocked her head to the side as the senior leaguers exchanged knowing looks. Zatara just looked away, not wanting to get involved.

Robin grinned. "Long story. I'll tell you tomorrow. Must be pretty late if Supe's here."

"Nearly ten," the man of steel informed them. He gave Robin a disapproving glare. "Forgot to eat dinner again?"

The boy gave him a sheepish grin. "Sorry, been training. Time just escapes me."

"It's ten?" she asked quickly. Time escaped both of them.

"It's seven back home," Zatara reminded her. "Just in time for the dinner show. Ready?"

"Oh good!" Zatanna breathed out in relief. "Can't lose your place."

Robin smiled at the two of them. He learned a lot about them today, more than he ever thought he'd know in his own world. Hanging around Zatanna alone was pretty fun too. But watching the two of them together now brought a new wave of homesickness.

Sunday night. He and Bruce were supposed to go to a dinner party. He wondered what excuse he gave the deb holding it for not being there. Not like he wanted to be around a lot of rich fakes trying to make an extra buck or another political connection. He just missed the mental games the two of them would play as they endured the tortuous night.

'_Wonder what this Batman's doing,_' he thought idly. Did this one also go to pointless dinner parties? He hadn't seen the man in over twenty-four hours, nearing forty-eight. Back home, that meant it was time to start looking for him. No communications for that long meant bad trouble. But here Robin wasn't his partner. Not hearing from Batman meant nothing more than he was busy or avoiding him. Either would fit the situation.

And his Batman? Bruce? Robin shook his head quickly to clear it, a smile going back to his face for the others. '_Don't think about it,_' he told himself. '_He's coming. That's all I need to know._'

"Well," Zee started, smiling at Robin, "see ya tomorrow Dick."

"Later Zee." He ignored the aliens' looks at him and her at the mention of his real name. Instead he waved goodbye to her as the Zeta-tube whisked the magicians away. He kept his eyes on it as he responded to their questioning gazes. "You're not getting my last name. I don't need anyone looking up my grave later.

"Any ideas for dinner?" Robin asked them, a playful smirk growing on his face. The dumbfounded looks on the two aliens was hilarious.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I think it's pretty obvious by now I'm not a Wonder Woman fan. not even interested in her really. Supes is higher on my like scale than she is, and her side-kicks were always more interesting. Or at least Cassie is. batfam and flashfam are more my faves, but i mostly stick to Batman and teen titans.

So there's a little bit of homesick dick going on too. You may have noticed how hard he tries to make it look like everything's okay, but things like this is what he's avoiding thinking. Stay positive! Keep moving! that's dick for ya.

As for the martin luthor king day thing, well I only did it because I didn't realize what starting all this on the 20th would mean, our time wise. And I know the 16th was the actual school off day, at least around here. i just needed Zee there two days in a row, and saturday was already taken by Hal. *sigh* correlating actual dates hurts my brain. =/


	15. Ch 15 League Family

**Disclaimer:** wow. Fifteen chapters worth of story and I'm still doing these things. I don't own what DC people created.

Like I've said before, I don't really have much information on Wonder Woman, hence why I rarely have her in my stories except as a background character. Never seen her interact with Dick one on one, or anyone outside of the big three truth be told. Wonder Girl/Cassie is in more of the things I own than she is. So I have to say, this is really OOC. Think of her as someone else entirely because I just needed a sitter he didn't get a long with very well and Diana needed a turn. Sorry for any offence to WW fans, i really don't understand her character.

Anywho, this part of the story kinda reminds me of Identity Crisis. Actually own that one. You really have to wonder what the family members of the superhero community go through every time their loved ones go out and fight. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 15 – League Family**

Robin was right. Having Wonder Woman as a sitter sucked. It took him nearly half an hour to convince her to let him keep his sunglasses on. It took another forty minutes to get her to believe he had a small appetite and the rest of the two hours before the Zataras arrived to get her to stop hounding him into wearing a Batman shirt. The last one was a lost cause. Needless to say, he was ready to read one of those classics all day if it meant getting away from the ultra feminist.

Being alone with her was always frustrating. So long as there was someone else in the room, she was good, fun even. But alone? Robin cringed at the thought. How did Bruce do it?

He nearly ran to the Zeta-tubes when he heard them activate. He hugged Zatanna eagerly, surprising her. "Thank heavens! A normal girl! Quick! Hide me before she makes me sing Coom-by-ya!"

"Nice to see you too Robin." Zee almost gaped and laughed at him as he swung behind her to hide. Her dad blinked in surprise, but all was explained as soon as Wonder Woman came in. In one hand was her lasso and the other an Amazonian scroll. Apparently she wished to educate him instead of just watch out for him.

"Zatara. You're early." Diana smiled pleasantly, oblivious to how stories of her excessive preaching had reached each male member of the League.

"Not early enough," Robin muttered just loud enough for the magicians to hear. He was still using them as a buffer.

"Zatanna wanted to come early to meet you Wonder Woman." He looked to his daughter who seemed conflicted between getting to know the second Big Three member she's seen and protecting the cute cowering Robin behind her.

The Amazon chose for her. She stepped forward, offering a warm hand to the young lady. "Greetings little sister. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"P…Pleasure's all mine Wonder Woman." The girl eagerly took her hand and shook it, completely forgetting about the boy behind her. Robin noticed this and dashed out from behind her to Zatara, keeping low to the ground.

"Call me Diana." The Amazon looked over to Robin now hiding behind the man, raising an eyebrow. "Robin, why are you running away from me?"

The boy stayed behind Zatara, a strained intensity in his face. "I ate my breakfast and wore the stupid shirt. Please! Just let me do my things!"

She gave him a shrewd glare in response. "You're just a child. You need to be educated."

"I've got plenty of books in my room and I've skipped two grades. I live in man's world, so just let me learn man's ways."

"But Man's—"

Zatara came to his rescue. "Princess Diana," – his daughter gaped at the word 'princess' – "I need Robin with me to perform the spells I found last night. I'll watch him for now. How about you enlighten my daughter to your people's beliefs?"

If the magician hadn't brought up Diana's favorite subject and the idea of telling a girl about it, she probably would have said no. Instead she nodded gracefully. "If you think it's wise. Just tell me when you're finished. I have much to discuss with this young boy."

Robin screwed up his face for a retort on his age, but said nothing. He was a teenager for pity's sake! Sure he looked like a sixth grader from time to time, but he was supposed to be in jr. high if he were normal. 'Young boy' was pushing the age boundary a little too far.

Still, Diana took Zatanna with her to the common room to talk, leaving the two males in the main hall. "Thanks," Robin breathed, coming out from behind Zatara.

"You're welcome." The magician looked up and down Robin, raising an eyebrow. Robin felt his ears burn. Diana had gotten her hands on a comb and earlier was forcing his hair into Bruce's usual hair style. Sure he copied it for school, but as Robin he left it down. Too much work trying to keep it nice and neat all the time. Tried it once. Way too much hair gel required. Quickly the boy messed his wet hair up, styling it his way with his fingers. "Trying morning?"

"You have no idea." Robin took off his sunglasses for a moment to rub his eyes. Diana even dragged him out of bed. Didn't help he kept having nightmares all that night and waking up. This lady really didn't know how to deal with kids.

The man nodded. He gave a heavy sigh and made a simple hand gesture. A book appeared in his hands seconds after. "When we're done, I'd advise hiding in your room doing that self assigned school work Manhunter told me about. This will only take an hour at most. I plan on doing research the rest of the day and see if the League has anything useful."

The boy nodded. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"

* * *

><p>A few hours later there was knocking on Robin's door. Dick was half way through some history questions when he heard it and a feeling of dread filled him. Was it Diana? Please no. Fearing the worst, he put on his glasses and pushed himself off the bed to see who his visitor was.<p>

Relied filled him when he saw Zatanna. "Zee! Wow. Um… freed from Wonder Woman?"

She rolled her eyes, a smirk on her lips. "I wasn't trapped. We were just talking."

"It's just talking when she's with a girl," Robin pointed out in his defense. "When it's one guy or a few teenage boys, it's a seminar on everything Amazon."

Zatanna shrugged. "She had a few good points."

"Agreed," he interjected. "I just wish she'd change subjects once in a while. So… what do you want to do? Some training?"

She shook her head, rubbing an arm. "Sore from yesterday. I was thinking a movie. I convinced Diana to watch _Clash of the Titans_."

Robin gaped at her, unable to hide his horror. Zee blinked at him. "What?"

"Are you crazy? _Clash of the Titans_? She worships Greek Gods Zee! Met some, fought some. She'll be pointing out every flaw in that movie." He ran his hands through his hair in disbelief. He learned his lesson when Wally brought_ Lightning Thief_ to the mountain a few years back and Diana wandered in. Sure the movie didn't stay true to the book, but it wasn't as bad as Diana made it. She took apart everything, from the casting to the nature of their powers and positions. She was particularly upset Hera didn't make an appearance.

Instantly the young magician realized her mistake. She looked away in shame. "Oops…"

Robin sighed, trying to find a way to fix it. They really should do something together. Zee was there for her "holiday" (he knew she was lying about that) and he really shouldn't be avoiding Diana. The woman meant well, she just didn't understand teenage boys, at all. He racked his brain, thinking over everything he knew about Wonder Woman.

"She doesn't watch many movies," he murmured. "Action's good, and anything to do with the past she likes… You in a Pirate mood?"

Zatanna grinned impishly as Robin turned off the light in his room and started down the hall. "Which one?"

"You pick. One or four?" They picked four because explaining to Diana the changes between the two without seeing the middle two would take too long. Robin was the one who made the switch, 'accidentally' scratching the DVD beyond watching. Zee convinced her Pirates was just as good if not better within a few minutes. As soon as the previews started, Robin was in the kitchen behind them digging out the popcorn and Oreos J'onn hid in one of the top cupboards. The Martian may kill him later, but he'd have to go after Diana and Zatanna too, and that'd be something to watch.

It took twenty minutes, but Robin finally got to his favorite spot on the couches and settled down to watch Captain Jack Sparrow and his girly run around old London Town. The snacks before them were mostly eaten by the teens, but Diana did take a handful of popcorn at one point, and an Oreo. She did complain about some of the people pathetic fighting skills, but for the most part seemed too interested in the over all story to pick at it. Zee gripped a pillow tightly, grinning as she watched. Dick took off his glasses after the first half hour, unable to stop laughing and the tears streaming down his face. Jack was just too funny.

It was about an hour into the movie when he heard a familiar beep. Zatanna didn't notice it, but Dick did. He heard it every time Bruce was called in by the League back home. He looked at Wonder Woman. Her attention split between the message she was receiving and the movie. She wasn't hearing what she needed to know.

Quickly Dick picked up the remote and paused the movie. Zee jolted in her seat, glaring at him. "Hey! What gives?"

His serious stare towards Diana made her jerk around to the Amazon. The woman nodded her thanks before pressing the earpiece to talk back. "Superman, repeat that."

There was a pause, an almost deathly silence. Wonder Woman's face became more and more determined as she listened to what Superman had to say on the other end. Zatanna started to worry a little about what was being said on the other end. Dick merely watched her, wanting to know what emergency occurred this time. The last major one was with the Injustice League and their demonic plants around the world. By the look on her face, it was just as bad. It had to be. She was on babysitting duty, in their home base. Only a world wide emergency would call her from them.

After a few silent minutes, she nodded and looked at them. "Think the two of you can stay out of trouble until we get back?"

"We get back?" Zatanna repeated, a prickle of worry in her voice.

"What's going on out there?" Dick made certain to make eye contact as he demanded answers.

"Nothing you have to worry about." She stood up, ready to fight. "Just stay put until we get back. And don't hurt yourselves. Zatara!"

Wonder Woman darted out of the room, quickly followed by a worried Zatanna. Dick debated for a moment whether to go after them, then shook his head as he grabbed his glasses and followed. It wasn't in his nature not to pry. Soon they were around the magician who magically stacked his books to the side of the room, a determined face ready for action. Now Robin knew this was big. Both of them were called in.

"Green Arrow told me. We should hurry. Zatanna, Robin." The father turned on the two teens, an authoritative scowl on his face. "Promise me you'll be good and stay out of trouble here."

"Dad, what's going on?" The worry in the girl's voice was evident. Robin looked at her and realized her father was all she had. Zee never mentioned her mother and her dad was protective over her. She didn't want her father to die.

And her dad didn't want her hurt either. He gave her a smile, hoping to calm her. "It'll be alright. A few hours at the most. We'll make it to the dinner show. May even see your cousin Zach."

"But—"

Robin placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a comforting smile before looking to Zatara. "Don't worry. We'll be here when you come back. Just don't be late."

This won a grateful smile from both League members as they ran through the zeta-tube out to whatever crisis was taking place. Zatanna watched helplessly for a moment, then turned on Robin, glaring and throwing him off of her. "What was that about?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Robin started. "We'll have to watch the news after the movie's over."

"After the movie? Why did you just let them go!" She demanded answers, her emotions taking control of her reason.

"Because that's what the family of the superhero community does," he retorted. "No one really likes it, but that's what we do Zatanna. We stay home, watch the news, and pray they come home in one piece."

"But that's my dad out there! I should be out there helping him!"

"And I should be with Batman!" Robin barked back. Was he happy with this? No way. One reason he fought along side the dark knight was to make sure he never lost another parent. Watching him leave with the League all the time, knowing any mission could end his life scared him. But he had to keep the faith. Batman couldn't be beaten. Bruce wouldn't leave him alone again. "But I'm not. I'm here, you're here, and they expect us to stay where it's safe. So long as we're safe, there's nothing to distract them and then they'll come home in one piece."

"But my dad…" Tears were coming to her eyes, and he knew he couldn't take them for long.

Robin looked away, trying to steel himself. "It'll be another hour or so before anything the League does is on the news. After the movie's over, we'll know what they're up against and the chatter on the JLA computers will slow down. I can hack in and find out what they're dealing with then. But really there's nothing we can do Zee. Just keep ourselves safe and make it so they don't worry about us."

Zatanna couldn't say a word. Robin was right. He'd been through this many times before. The difference was, on his world nearly every founder of the League was family to him. Losing one would hurt him deeply. Losing Batman… well, he doubted he'd recover from that. Just like if Zatanna lost her dad.

Dick took off his glasses and wrapped an arm around the girl, pulling her close. She clung to him, letting her tears flow. Nothing had happened yet, but she was scared. So was he. And this wasn't even his world.

* * *

><p>AN: Awe! comfort hug! Dick's a sensitive compassionate person so hugging Zee here is totally appropriate. I mean, how scared to cop kids or firefighter's spouses get when they hear of a gun fight or a major fire? if they had the ability to help them, I'm sure each and every one would go after their loved ones to help.

now I've mentioned three movies here, and I haven't seen any of them in a while. A friend pointed out to me that Jack runs like a really girly girl, with his hands out in front and his back straight up. Check it out some time. _Lightning Thief_ didn't really follow the book, but if you saw just it, it wasn't too bad. Book's way better though because they don't use the Hades Villain cop-out. Really pity the guy. And really, I don't think you want Diana watching any movie with greek/roman gods in it. Just saying.

Oh, Zee really does have a cousin named Zachery Zatara. He becomes Zatara II and belongs in the Tim/Bart/Kon/Cass generation. So i guess he'd be... five? *shrug*


	16. Ch 16 Small Fries

**Disclaimer:** I'd sooner own this dog next to me than own DC comic's characters. I only wish one of them were sitting on my cellphone. *grumbles at dog*

Well, I think it's time we get some action in here, shouldn't we? Remember when I was begging for a scenario earlier? Well the votes are in! This has it and it's not very detailed because I didn't care to explain it. not good at creating crises. XP

A little comfort cuddling at first, so remember Zee's mental state at the end of last chapter. This is directly after. Dick's a hugger, but hugs don't necessarily mean love. This is probably the only thing close to romance you'll see here. Enjoy!

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 16 – Small Fries**

Slowly Dick guided Zatanna back to the common room, back to the couches where cuddling like that wouldn't feel so awkward. For a moment he let go of her with one arm and started the movie up again. Neither of them were really watching for a while, focused more on what was happening in reality. But slowly their attention was diverted from thoughts of doom to Jack and flesh eating mermaids.

For some reason the movie seemed longer than the last time Dick had seen it. Much longer. Not that he minded having Zatanna to cuddle with that long, but he wanted a good excuse for turning on the news besides being worried. He had purposely avoided watching the news ever since he arrived in this world. He didn't want to know what possible events he could influence were going on in his world, or this one. But just this once he had to know what was going on. What was the Justice League fighting now?

Thinking of questions he had, one returned to his mind. "Hey, why are you here pretending its MLK day when it was last week?"

"Hm? Oh." Zatanna blearily raised herself out of his arms, gathering her wits again. "Because last week I faked going to school to avoid Dad's agent. He's a moron."

"Hm. Cute." The movie was winding down at last. Dick leaned forward and grabbed the remote again, ready to change the screen at a moment's notice. "Too bad I can't use that excuse back home. There's no way out of anything Batman plans."

"Why not?"

"He's known as the world's greatest detective for a reason. I lie to him about school and I'm in major trouble. Rule one with tricking Batman: never tell a lie he can look into and prove otherwise." Finally the credits started to roll and he stopped the disk, changed displays and typed in the most reliable news station he knew back home. Hopefully it was still good.

"Any other rules?"

"Keep it simple, have proof to back it up, and if you get caught, beg for forgiveness and have a good reason for lying on hand. He'll listen. Here we are." Dick turned up the volume, hoping to figure out what the League was fighting this time. The anchor woman was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. The field correspondents in Central and Metropolis were easy to remember, and the one in DC Bruce dated off and on: Iris West-Allen, Lois Lane, and Vicki Vale. Man did those three get around.

From what he could tell, the Ice Crew were starting another ice age, beginning in DC and branching out. Killer Frost was in the Capitol Building, having taken the president's family hostage to stop the commander and chief from ordering the military in. In Central, Flash was going head to head with Captain Cold's henchmen (where they came from, no one could tell), but they were all armed with Freeze's technology. Freeze himself was in Metropolis, with about fifty or so animated snow creations. Icicle Sr. was enjoying Paris, having turned the Eiffel Tower into a brittle ice sculpture; half a dozen superstrength villains were around the base of it, demanding millions for the structure to stay intact. His son was in Star, sabotaging Queen Industries as he set something else up.

Judging from the video feed, and Robin's experience, each were setting up ice producing bombs. They were Freeze's technology, hands down. The vengeance seeking, cryo-man may not be in Gotham, but his genius certainly was making its effect on the world.

Nearly every Leaguer was called into these cities, either fighting off henchmen or saving civilians. There were several unknown heroes running about too, doing what they could to help people. It was clear what had to be done: take out those bombs, take down the ice villains, thaw each city and civilian safely. Oh yeah, and save the president's family. It was a large order, but not impossible. Not for the League.

"There really is nothing we can do," Zatanna muttered in defeat.

Dick nodded, rubbing his eyes. Nothing. They didn't have the resources, experience nor abilities to help in this situation. He changed channels, hoping to find something else to keep them distracted. He really wanted to know right then where Batman was. It may not be his Batman, but he still wondered. It'd been three days without seeing hide nor hair of his mentor's doppelganger. Sure he'd gone weeks alone before, but Bruce always called. From what he could tell from the news, Batman had dropped off the face of the planet. No one was talking about Gotham. Vikki was in DC.

'_Might not be a bad idea to start hacking again_,' he thought, but stopped on the local news channel. While the rest of the globe was focused on the League and their troubles, Happy Harbor was having a minor crisis of its own. A very unnatural tornado had returned, causing a wave of destruction on the east end. The color from the eye of it was familiar.

"Mister Twister?"

"What?" Zee jerked towards him, completely confused.

Dick didn't answer immediately. Instead he rushed to clear the table in front of him, a determined look upon his face. He tapped parts of it a few times, baffling the girl next to him until a holopad and screen appeared right above it. She gasped, but Dick didn't hear it. He was too busy hacking into the Justice League systems to confirm what he saw.

"Mister Twister. One of T.O. Morrow's androids. Or he was in my world." It didn't take long for him to enter the cave's system (it was Batman's after all, and he knew his old codes like the back of his hand), and even less time afterwards to use it the way he wanted to. Quickly he blew up the image on the TV and adjusted the picture to make it clearer.

"How'd you…"

"We fought him not long after M'gann joined up. An android in a suit of armor. At least back home that's what this was." Dick thought over everything he knew about the crazy scientist and tried to figure out if what's in this machine was human or not. He had an assistant, and the android was a copy of him. So having a human in the armor wasn't too farfetched.

"No," Zee started, "how did you get access to the League's computers?"

"Oh." He stopped for a moment, realizing he just was caught doing something everyone else didn't want him to do. He didn't look at her when he explained, trying not to sound guilty or smug as he ran some long ranges scans on the machine. "Hacked in while they were having one of their meetings and set up an easy access code for myself later, in case it was necessary. Have to time it right if you don't want Batman knowing."

The computer beeped as Zatanna shook her head in disbelief. Dick looked off to the side where the beeping light triggered. Another local emergency? The League tried to know what was happening in the harbor, just in case the mountain was under attack or someone figured out where they were. How come the League was in the mountain again?

The scans came back positive on biomass in the Mister Twister suit, making the boy frown. He brought up the window detailing the other emergency and read it quickly. A top secret science lab linked with the military on the south side was broken into. Just barely. Only one confirmed supervillain: Sportsmaster.

Dick gripped his head. Two emergencies, both local. He could hack the Zeta-tubes within two minutes and be out in the field in no time. He knew where the bikes were held and he was certain Zatanna could adapt them to fit them with a few words. He knew he could take down Sportsmaster even. The guy was mostly talk and pretty decent with his weapons, but not as good as other killers Robin's met. The team took down Mister Twister before, so he'd have a hand up on that one. These were small fries, people he could handle easily enough.

But he promised to be a good little boy and stay home. He gritted his teeth. He really wanted to go out there, help where he could, stop the bad guys. These were local events, small things in the grand scale. The League was busy. They couldn't come. He could do this, but he said he wouldn't. This was going to kill him.

"What's wrong?"

Dick looked over to Zatanna, not realizing his silent expression could give her the wrong impression about the alert. He gave her a pained smile, trying to calm her. It wasn't something bad about her dad after all. "Two local events, nothing the League will look into until way later. They're just too busy for them. And we're stuck here, sitting on our hands."

Zee looked over him for a moment, saying nothing. She leaned over his shoulder and started reading what he found on the computer. He couldn't take sitting anymore and stood up to pace. Too much anxiety, too much energy, he had to do something!

"You want to go out," she nodded in understanding now, her eyes not leaving the screen.

"I hate staying home!" Dick ran his hands through his hair over and over again, torn between his instincts as a hero and his promise to be good and stay in the mountain with Zatanna. "I promised them I would, but I also swore to uphold justice no matter what! How can I just…"

He couldn't complete it. He couldn't turn a blind eye when he knew he could do something. He had to do something! If it were an ordinary break in or a normal twister, then he'd just notify the proper authorities. But this was Mister Twister and Sportsmaster. Small fries or no, they were better than the police. And judging by the lab's sensors, Sportsmaster wasn't alone.

Zatanna's face became stony for a moment, then she stood and looked at Robin. "So, wanna go on a date?"

Dick jerked his head around to her. "What?"

"I'm asking if you want to go out with me and have some fun." Her sneaky smile grew on her face. The same smile she had when she told his team to kidnap her.

He took a deep breath. "We told them we'd stay and be good."

"No, you told them we'd be here when they got back." She gave him a knowing smile. Dick thought about it for only a second, then matched her grin.

Screw being good and obedient. He was Robin. He already hacked League systems. He and his friends did the exact same thing last July. They were heroes. It was time to act like them. "I need my gear. Think you can—"

"Sserd su rof elttab!"

In an instant Robin was in full uniform, including his belt, boots and gloves he hadn't seen since his first day there. Only one thing missing.

He looked over to Zatanna, already in costume and smirking. "You forgot my mask."

"Aw, but I like your baby blues!" He gave her an are-you-serious look and she relented. "Fine! Ksam oot."

Now prepared, Robin grinned impishly as he swept out of the room. "Thanks. Now, we're going to need transportation. Mind modifying one of the spare bikes while I hack the systems to let us out of the mountain? We'll Zeta-beam close as we can to the site, then we're on the road."

She nodded as she followed him out of the room to the hangar. It was time for the child-heroes to debut in this world at last, and Robin was again going to be the first to fly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And here we have Robin and Zee doing something! YAY! Action's on the way!

Robin really is trying to be a good boy so the League will trust him and help him go home, but let's face it. Dick's a mischievous circus boy and the most heroic person in the DC universe. If he knows of a crisis, he'll do everything he can to get out there. That's what we love about him.

Oh yeah, this is the scenario I came up with after everyone gave me ideas. Flash getting kidnapped was another option. Someone said turfwar and another said natural disaster. I think I kinda combined everything. Note all the Belle Reve people? this can only happen in this world because the breakout succeeded. No one's talking about Gotham here, but when I get back to 'Where's Robin?' I'll have that scenario taken care of. Curse Arkham's revolving door! *evil laugh*

I know sportsmaster isn't a small fry in YJ, but he is in the DC universe. I should rework the action scenes before posting them *looks away* Really hate writing them. Rather do heart-to-hearts. *sigh* here goes nothing.


	17. Ch 17 Enemies

**Disclaimer:** something's pounding in my head... it's saying over and over again that I don't own young justice, DC comics does. Waaaaiiiiitttttt... nope, that's just common sense. Can it knock a little less? =_= I hates being sick.

Get ready to see my first fight scene here! There aren't really a lot of them, but you'll see why. I'm not that good at them. Got quite a kicker in the end. *evil laugh*

And just as a side note, there's a reason certain characters aren't here for very long or at all. It's usually because I have no idea how they think. I go to friends to figure out how Joker works. Wiki only tells events not many relationships or personalities, and I've got a very limited supply of material with a few people. So if I've got a character completely wrong, sorry. I'm just trying to use someone's name then to make certain reactions out of other people.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 17 – Enemies**

Mister Twister's winds were the most hazardous and immediate threat, so Robin drove them there first. He told Zee his plan as they drove over along with quite a few tips on how to handle this particular baddie. She nodded, holding on to him tightly as they went. Robin ignored the pleasant feeling he got as she clung to him, knowing it'd only be a distraction in the fight. Holding onto Bruce back home while on patrol didn't drive him crazy.

Stupid hormones.

Within ten minutes they were there, and instantly Robin went to work. A couple kids were huddling behind some construction equipment, too scared to move. They were right in the path of an oncoming I-beam and didn't realize their fear of the wind was about to get them killed. Quickly he darted forward and grabbed their shirts, pulling them out of the way in seconds. The beam crashed into the ground where the kids were, and they saw the destruction they barely weren't apart of.

Robin gave them a quick firm look. "Run home now!"

Both of them nodded, then ran as fast as they could away from the site. He gave a short huff then turned back to the tornado. '_Zee better act fast or I can't get near the thing!'_

"Mlac eht sdinw dne eht mrots!" Instantly the tornado died and Mister Twister was in plain view. He imagined the man inside was confused as to what happened, but Robin didn't wait for a response. There was something else to take care of a few mile from there He threw a flash bomb straight into the machine's face then darted behind the thing to avoid being blinded as it went off. Part three of his (hopefully) ingenious plan took place just as he grappled into the construction to get higher ground. "Selbac niartser Retsim Retsiwt!"

The cables around the site jumped up to the machine, wrapping themselves around him tightly to keep him on one place. Robin smirked as he aimed his grapple for the thing's back. Another line wouldn't be detected in all of this. As he shot it off, he heard the man inside shouting his dismay. "Who's doing this? Who are you? Show yourself! How dare you!"

"Shut up," Robin muttered just as he landed on the back of the machine suit. He wrapped one leg around its neck to keep him there as he jabbed his wrist computer's port into the thing's head. Last time Mister Twister tried reprogramming Red Tornado/M'gann with ports from his noggin, so this guy had to have the same thing, right?

Thankfully right. Within seconds he was hacking in the suit's head and uploading a Robin virus into its systems. "What the devil? What's this? Who's on me?"

"Just a little bird wanting a rematch."

The man inside sputtered then fell a few feet. Robin jolted from his victory, realizing the virus would make the suit's flight capabilities fail pretty quickly. Within five seconds he retracted his computer cable and retrieved his grapple before jumping off. The machine fell to the ground seconds after, Robin soaring towards a series of pipes forgotten in the zone. He grabbed on and swung around it to another and another, slowing his fall to the ground. When he landed, he bowed and grinned.

"And that's how we do things in Gotham," he joked. He spotted the camera crew in the distance and flashed them a smile. He knew he was screwed. The League would know as soon as they got back to the cave. Batman's systems would make certain of that.

Still, may as well enjoy this little trip. So long as he and Zee made it back to the mountain before they did, they'd be in the clear. Right?

"Robin!" Zatanna ran over to him, leaving the safe area he had her hide in as he fought.

Robin smiled briefly at her while marching to Mister Twister. "Not a lot of time Zee. Reporters are on their way and we can't stick around. I've got some questions for Twister first."

"Are you okay?" She asked in concern, bringing a smile to the boy's lips.

"Naturally. I've had worse falls." Quickly he went to the suit's entrance and forced it open. The man inside fell out, shaking in terror.

"Foul. I call foul."

Robin rolled his eyes. Exactly like last time. Quickly he yanked the man within inches of his face. "Okay ugly, I need to know, what's Sportsmaster after?"

Zee jerked her gaze to him, wondering why he'd ask that. The shaky old man tried to smile. "Sp—Sportsmaster? Wh—Why would I have anything to—to do with him?"

The boy gave him a dark smirk before kneeing him in the gut. "Wrong answer. The two of you attacking on the same day, same time. Things aren't that coincidental. What's he after?"

The man stared fearfully at the teen, a startling sight for anyone to see. Robin seemed to have his own twist on Batman's glare, and it was going to show more and more with each wrong answer. "I… I don't know! The Light… the big bosses… they said to come… to attack and…"

"The Light?" Robin raised an eyebrow. He heard the phrase 'The Light' before, it wasn't that unusual, but never would he connect it to anything Sportsmaster and Mister Twister did. "Who's this Light? Some religious fanatics?"

"I don't know!" the man cowered. "They give orders! They're Morrow's friends, not mine! I just… I just did this for today because…"

Robin scowled. He knew there was nothing more this guy could give him. This 'Light' though… he'd have to look into it later. He had to go after Sportsmaster. "No more Reds. Got it. Last question. How's T.O. Morrow?"

The man froze, pain welling in his eyes. "He's… he's gone."

"Robin?" Zatanna started, but he didn't hear her. Robin was thinking. He knew T.O. Morrow wasn't doing very well back home. Here it looks like he died, probably of old age. The guy's been around since the Society.

Quickly the boy took out some zipcuffs and tied the man's hands together then ankles. He didn't have time to deal anymore with this guy. Quickly he turned back to their borrowed motorcycle. "Come on! The cops can't delay them forever."

Zatanna nodded, a little worried. She took her helmet and slid on the bike behind Robin, holding tight as they zipped off. Quickly she voiced her concerns. "Are you really alright? You were like another person back there."

Robin didn't want to think about it. He was learning how to interrogate from Batman, but he didn't have the strength needed yet to scare a guy into submission from high places. There really wasn't a lot of time for other methods either. He didn't like it, but it was effective. "I'm fine. We just don't have a lot of time to get this done Zee. I was just… copying Batman's rushed method. That's all."

"So Batman really is ruthless."

He didn't nod or flinch. A world without him meant a harder Batman. He could be ruthless when he asked questions, but mostly it was scare tactics. Robin wasn't quite able to use them. Too small, too colorful.

"If we had time I'd do something else Zatanna. Seriously. Batman isn't that bad. I just… I'm not that experienced in interrogating yet. I used what I know, that's all. I won't have to with the next group."

Zee nodded, shifting behind him as they turned a corner. He knew she was uneasy about this, and not just about the interrogation. This was her first time in the field and he was more than willing to take as many risks needed to get the job done. But he wasn't going to let her get hurt, hence why he was the one fighting and she was the one in the hidey-hole casting her spells.

"Okay, next place," Robin continued. He knew there was no way for her to be 100% secure in this field by him talking to her. She just had to get through this one on her own. He did. "Similar tactic. Try not to get caught, best if you aren't seen either. According to the sensors at the lab, there're about a dozen people with Sportsmaster. I can take him, but if you do some kind of sleep spell or make them see each other as a cop or something, it'll make things easier. You don't have to go in and fight. Just level the playing field a bit."

"Like a game?" She asked, testing him.

"Not a game, but a strike." He glared forward. "I don't play with people's lives. They need to go down, somehow. The less norms fighting the better. The cops I called earlier should have taken a few of them down for a while, but we can't have them fight Crock."

"Why not?"

"Muscle memory. He's a meta, and a well trained one."

"And you're going to take him down on your own?"

Robin grinned at her for a moment. "What, scared now? You're the one who asked me out."

He looked forward determined. This is what he lived for. Zatanna was still for a moment, then grinned back. "Not in your life."

"Good. It'd be a bad date if you chickened out now." They turned the final corner and slipped into the alleyway just next to the semi getting ready to pick up whatever cargo was in the lab. Cops and a few thugs littered the ground between them and the loading docks. A few arrows were strewn across the concrete, making the boy grimace. Sportsmaster wasn't alone at all.

Quickly he checked on the men, making certain they weren't dead. Everyone was breathing. He relaxed for a second, glad the Crocks weren't killers. Silently he made his way to the semi, staying out of the loading dock's line of sight. Zatanna kept close behind him doing her best to be just as quiet.

At the truck, he slipped underneath it and tore off a few cables and pipes. The only one he knew not to cut was the brakes. Once he was done, it was a mess. Looked like no one would be leaving anytime soon. Oops.

He grinned as he slipped back from under. Zee kept a look out, jumpy like the newbie she was. Zatara really should have given her more field training. She was making him jumpy. As he got to his feet, he whispered a warning. "Keep your head down. We've got an archer to deal with too, and she's a tough one."

"How can you—" Robin pointed to the arrows on the ground with a knowing look. They had to be Artemis'. Sure he could beat her. He knew her weaknesses from training. Guarded one side too much and didn't pay attention to her surroundings. But this was a different world. Who knew if he was right here?

Quickly he inched around the truck, ready to launch into action. He had to know if there were lookouts, so he checked. Two men were on the opposite end of the truck, both relaxed. '_Guess the tussle with the cops was way too easy for them._'

Robin scowled at the thought of how bad the police were trained these days, or how much the bad guys got to beat them. Within seconds he threw some knockout gas pellets at the men and they went down without a word. He nodded to himself. "This way. Get ready to—"

He jolted backwards as at the sound of an arrow being launched alerted him. It barely flew past his nose and missed Zatanna completely. He jerked his head around, disks in hand to throw at Artemis and cut her bow in two. Bruce had taught him to be on guard at all times, even with friends.

His eyes widened in shock when he saw the archer, not expecting this. He froze for a second. None of his training went this far.

"Roy?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** And there's the kicker! Now don't get me wrong, I like Roy. It's just, at certain times of his life the line between good and evil is blurred, and for a lot of good reasons. Now if Green Arrow didn't take little Roy Harper when he was 15, what would he become? And just think of all the other implications with him being with Sportsmaster in this universe. *glee* tortured Roy time! And you did want to know what happened to him.

Well Robin didn't account for Roy so now how is he going to fight? and Zee, what's she gonna do. She's still a rank ameture and this is her first time fighting in the field. She hid and cast spells with Mister Twister, but he's a real pansy compared to what they're up against now. *sigh* get ready to see more lame fight sequences.


	18. Ch 18 Old Aquaintences

**Disclaimer:** I feel like a broken record or a scratched cd every time I say this. but it's true. I don't own young justice or any DC character. pity that.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! you should have seen your faces when Roy popped up. Priceless. Wish I could have seen them too. =P Apparently that fight scene wasn't too bad but I've tried doing this one over a few times so I'm not entirely happy with it. Another character will also appear along with old names from the comic book world. If you wanna see their old costumes I based the descriptions on, look it up. I tried to describe them right, but I don't think I got it perfect. =/ there's a reason I don't describe people much in fanfiction. Because I don't have to and I hate describing things. Such a pain and it takes away from the intensity of the story. Ah well.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 18 – Old Acquaintances**

Robin froze for a moment, just staring at the archer before him. There stood Roy Harper, glaring death under his red mask down an arrow shaft at the boy. His hair was longer than he'd ever seen him have, falling slightly in front of his face, plus an attempt at a goatee. His uniform was red and black, but not at all like his arrow counterpart. And there were a lot more scars on his arms than Robin remembered. He didn't just have arrows on him either. Robin counted at least two guns, a few grenades, and at least half a dozen knives on the young man's person.

Then there was the way he held himself. Tense, angry, anxious. This was not the Roy he knew at all. This was Roy without Green Arrow in his life. And it did not look good. The man snarled at Robin. "How do you know my name?"

Robin gave a weak smile and shrug. "Heh, lucky guess?" Quickly he darted out of the way as another arrow flew at him. This Roy wasn't interested in Robin's jokes.

"Chesh!" The redhead shouted behind him. "We've got company!"

"What was that?" Zatanna panicked, just barely within safety of Robin. Both took refuge behind the truck.

"Chesh?" Robin asked out loud, now completely confused. "Wait, if Roy's with the bad guys, then Chesh is…"

"Robin!" the girl begged next to him. He almost ignored her but reigned himself in as he put two and two together.

"Crap. Run." Robin almost pulled Zee to her feet as they ran forward, barely avoiding Cheshire's deadly sais coming straight at them from above. Robin turned toward her barely in time to see Roy shoot two arrows at him. Quickly he caught one in either hand and put them to work defending himself against the deadly assassin. Not like he had anything else to work with anyway.

'_Crap, crap and double crap_,' he thought as he evaded the lady's attacks, barely managing to parry her deadly strikes. Cheshire was on his list of people not yet ready for. Roy could take her sure, but he was bigger than her and that helped. Robin was just a little too small for her and her skills. For one, he and the girl fought a lot alike, making this fight particularly difficult. They knew all of each other's holes and the majority of the other's moves. Reading each other was the same as declaring their own motives. Second, she didn't mind killing, he did. Never good when someone had rules and the other didn't.

"Pirts reh ot reh raewrednu!" Zatanna screamed as Robin barely managed to divert another of her Cheshire's strikes. In a blinding instant the young woman was in nothing but skimpy lingerie.

"WHOA!" Robin jolted back, his face burning while still defending himself from the assassin's vigorous attacks. "DID NOT WANT TO SEE THAT!"

"Sorry!" Zee had to dodge an arrow before she could correct her mistake.

"Don't touch her!" Roy shouted, running forward to help the practically naked (and almost completely disarmed) girl. He looked far more enraged than the lady still trying to gorge the boy wonder's flesh. Robin was barely dodging and blocking her attacks, plus not stepping on the sleeping men below them.

"Wasn't planning on it!" he shouted in pure embarrassment. It was bad enough fighting hardly dressed psychos in Gotham on normal days. Going toe to toe against a deadly, naked assassin wasn't what he intended to do that day at all.

Before one of the sais could connect with Robin's flesh, Zatanna shouted, "Dnib htiw leets!"

Instantly steel chains appeared and wrapped around an indecent Cheshire, binding her tightly together. There were no locks to pick and no weak links. It'd even take the dark knight quite some time to get out of. Robin would have reflected gladly on this last thought if Roy wasn't about to hit him with his bow.

Quickly the boy dodged, trying to bat away his friend's double's onslaught. The young man was fuming and obsessed with hurting Robin at that point, not really thinking about what he was doing.

Robin was still getting over the fact that Roy Harper, Red Arrow, formerly Speedy, was attacking him! Helping out the enemy! Watching out for Cheshire of all people! Of all the people in the world, Roy was one of his rocks. He thought the guy would never change sides and would always be a hero. But here…

"Great. Now I really wish Ollie did take you in Roy."

"It's Arsenal!" the man screamed, throwing punches at him wildly

Barely flipping out of another volley of attacks from Roy, Robin twisted around and landed a quick kick into the man's gut. Strangely this is all it took to stop the attacks for the moment. Roy slid back and grabbed his stomach in pain, sweating heavily.

"Arsenal. Not a bad name." The boy hesitated attacking him again. '_Must have reopened a wound,_' he thought, but didn't let his guard down. "Shame we're on opposite sides."

Roy crouched in pain next to Cheshire, and the lady was furious. Her glare would have chilled most people, but the boy wonder had seen many like it before. They stopped having any effect on him years ago. Robin only spared her a cold glance before remembering he had backup.

"Zee! Get to higher ground!" He didn't look back to see the magician nod, but ran forward on the other side of Roy to the loading dock again. There was still Sportsmaster to deal with, and likely Artemis.

As he ran, Robin put all his weight on the thinnest part of Roy's bow, snapping it in an instant. No salvaging it. He also dropped his exploding disks onto Roy's guns and into the quiver. If he drew one, they'd explode and the weapon would be useless. The pain on the man's face hurt the boy wonder. '_Sorry Roy._'

Within seconds Robin leapt onto the platform just in time to see two blonds and four ski capped henchmen leaving the building, the thugs carrying some crate out the door. Sportsmaster looked exactly like the one Robin knew, but Artemis obviously wasn't dressed like a Green Arrow groupie anymore. Instead it was all yellow and black, with side stripes like a tiger. A tank on top with tight shorts on bottom, her utility belt held a crossbow and bolts with her other gear. Black gloves and combat boots donned her appendages, and only one eye and part of her face was covered by a mask, as if a cat's paw was placed there. Her spiked choker finished her look of bad-to-the-bone animal.

"I preferred the green," he muttered to himself as he threw gas pellets at the men carrying the crate, who coughed wildly and dropped the thing before passing out. The anesthetic gas didn't stop Artemis though. She ran straight through, rigging her crossbow to fire.

"Get rid of him," Sportsmaster order, glaring at Robin for interfering. Instead of fighting himself, he darted over to the crate, letting his daughter do the dirty work.

"Yeah, I don't think so Arty." Quickly he leapt to the side, dodging the first bolt before throwing a disk at the trigger. It snapped before the second bolt could fire, springing backwards and into Artemis' shoulder. Both her hand and shoulder were bleeding from the impacts, making Robin wince in sympathy.

"Oooo… that's gonna smart in the morning. Should have changed sides Artemis." He grinned to taunt her. "We've got medical benefits."

"The name's Tigress!" Within seconds the blond charged forward, this time taking out a hunting knife to strike him down.

Robin's eyes narrowed as he dodged her attacks. As he flipped backwards, he grabbed another arrow off the ground to parry the knife's swings towards him. He heard a small explosion behind him along with Roy's painful shout. The boy winced again in sympathy, knowing his friend was hurt because of his forethought.

No, not friend. Not here.

'_Man this is confusing_' he mentally cursed as he knocked the knife from 'Tigress's' hand, heavily bruising it in the process. The girl wouldn't be using either to wield weapons for a day or so. Another 'friend' he was hurting.

Didn't stop her from attacking him. Quickly she changed to every day hand-to-hand, delivering every punch and kick she could. Robin did his best to dodge each blow, but the girl was better at this than her previous methods. She clipped his shoulder and grabbed his cape, dragging him to the ground to knock his head in. Reflexively he rolled into the strike, throwing his legs up into her back, throwing her off balance and over his head. She tried rolling into her fall to catch her self, only for Robin to follow her arch and land neatly behind her. With a series of well placed kicks and a quick blow on the side of her head, Robin forced her to the ground, finally unconscious.

Wouldn't last long, he knew. Artemis was resilient back home. She didn't learn that with the team.

Unfortunately he didn't have time to tie her up either as Sportsmaster had finally decided to join the fight. When Robin and Tigress had their one on one, the man dragged whatever cargo was in the crate to the truck. The box still wasn't in the thing, but far closer than Robin liked. Didn't matter who owned it or what was inside, Sportsmaster wasn't going to get away with this.

The man lunged at Robin, a collapsible javelin raised above him to plunge into the boy. Robin leapt out of the way, diving his hands into his belt for his disks. They flew from his fingers moments after, the majority repelled as the man twirled his weapon around to block them. Two hit their marks on his body, destroying parts of his armor. Not slowing down, the adult ran at him, staff swinging downwards. Robin flipped backwards and managed to yet again grab some loose arrows on the ground to defend himself with.

Really, he had to remember to keep his escrima sticks on him at all times! Grabbing things at random wasn't helping his case much. This man was better than his double back home. Robin kept paring each attack best he could, constantly defending himself. If only the man didn't haven any weapons…

The boy grinned, a plan forming quickly in his mind. Quickly he hit the javelin's center with both arrows and flung them into the man's mask. As he flinched from the impact, Robin grabbed the staff's center and pulled down, swinging himself under the man and through his legs to trip him up, dragging the staff with him. Sportsmaster's balance fell apart, his own weapon used against him as he landed head first into the cement beneath him. Robin used his earlier momentum to fly into the air, twist around and land neatly five feet away from him. He didn't pause for a second. Once his boots hit pavement, Robin darted forward, tossing the javelin to the side and yanking some flares out of his belt. When the man tried to get to his feet again, the boy dived at him, triggering the flares and pinning them to every place the guy hid his weapons. The boy wonder flew off him in time to avoid being burned by his own trick.

Sportsmaster rushed to remove every flaming piece of clothing he wore, and pretty much his entire arsenal. Robin held back for a moment to make certain the guy could make it out in one piece before readying his next attack. All that was left on the man was his jersey, pants, boots and mask. There might be some other kind of weapon on him, but it hardly made a difference. Now everything was back to basics.

"You've got a lot of gall kid," the supervillain started.

Robin grinned, bowing slightly. "Thanks. I've been collecting it." Not giving the man another minute, he launched forward, aiming his punches at every exposed soft spot he could reach.

Sportsmaster parried the majority of them without too much difficulty, but the blows that reached him were strong, forcing him back. He retaliated against the kid, getting his shoulder and chest at least once before aiming his knee into the brat's gut. Dodging this, the kid leapt smoothly back then launched himself forward again, this time placing his hands on the man's upward knee and springing up into a flip. Quickly the man grabbed the cape in front of his eyes to pull the boy back to earth.

"Got a name brat?" he growled.

"Does it matter?" The cape came loose in the nick of time, but Robin caught the end of its collar to tug it over and around the man's head, blinding him. "I'm still gonna humiliate you in front of your girlfriend!"

Enraged, Sportsmaster turned around to kick at the kid. "She's not my—"

"Back story!" Due to the man's blindness, he completely missed the kid. Robin swung around, using the cape as a line, and kicked the man's back between his shoulders. The added momentum and release of the cape from his grasp threw the man forward into the stone steps leading into the cocking port with a bone cracking thud. "Not interested!"

Robin gave another flip backwards and landed in a crouch. That last blow might have knocked the man out, or just made him a little angrier at him. Didn't matter. The guy had muscle memory, not rejuvenation. He wouldn't be healing quickly enough to attack Robin with the same amount of force.

But he forgot about the man's backup. Within seconds of landing, a strong arm wrapped around Robin's neck in a deathly headlock. Reflexively, the boy wonder turned his head into the elbow and tucked it in to keep his airways clear. He stopped short though of his other reflexes when he caught sight of something.

Track marks. Right before him, on the arm of his captor were track marks from heroin use.

"Not another move wise guy," Roy's voice whispered in his ear fiercely. Though for that moment Robin's mind went blank, he could detect a strain in the young man's voice. He was going through withdrawals.

The boy's reflexes came alive once again as the archer pulled him off his feet to have him dangle. Grabbing the guy's arm was all Robin could do to stay alive. He knew how strong Roy should be from back home, and he had a meaner punch than Robin. "What do you want done with him old man?"

Sportsmaster gripped his bleeding head as he slowly returned to his feet, glaring through the mask at Robin. "Kill him. Slowly."

"Not on the menu. Sorry!" With his wits back about him, Robin flung a leg around Roy's middle and turned into his arm while biting it. Roy yelped in serious pain, and despite all his strength had to let go of the boy wonder. Robin quickly landed on his feet and backed down a pace.

"A little help would be nice Zee!"

"PEELS!" Before either man could react both Sportsmaster and 'Arsenal's' eyes rolled back and closed. They fell to the ground painfully, but didn't wake. Sportsmaster was even snoring.

Robin gaped at them, snoozing away as if nothing else in the world mattered. He looked around to the others, seeing the full effect of the girl's spell. Cheshire was halfway out of her bindings but now rested as if on a bed of feathers. 'Tigress' was already unconscious but showed no signs of stirring any time soon. Others previously knocked out seemed to actually sleeping; he could hear half of them snoring and saw a few drooling. This was just…

"Why didn't you just do that earlier?" Robin turned on Zatanna, who shyly left her hiding place behind the dumpster. "Would have saved a lot of trouble!"

"It's a really hard spell," the girl explained. "That's if you want it to hit groups and only certain people, and make it last long enough."

"It's just one word isn't it?" That's all he heard. One word and the people were out cold.

She gave him a halfway cynical look. "There's a lot more to it than just a word Robin. And finding the right word is also tricky."

The boy rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he looked around at the villains again. The earlier cops' backup would be arriving soon, but a little cleanup had to be done. Besides, handling what he knew kept him from thinking about what he didn't. Magic wasn't his thing.

He shoved his hand into one of his pockets and tossed Zatanna some zipcuffs. "Get those on everyone without a badge. Ankles and wrists. Get the wrists behind their backs too, and make sure it's tight. No give, but don't turn their hands blue."

Zee blinked at him as she caught the makeshift handcuffs, but nodded after a moment. She was the newbie after all. As she started on the thugs, Robin looked down to Roy.

By all logic, in this world this guy was just another criminal. He stole, he hurt people, and it was likely he had killed before while working with Sportsmaster. It's possible the guy had met Green Arrow and taken potshots at him. Actually, thinking back to his first night in this world, Robin was certain he had.

But despite all that, despite all logic, this was still Roy Harper. Before him was one of his closest friends and allies. A different one sure, but it was still him. Robin looked at his friend's arm again and cringed. What series of events took place to make his big brother figure turn out like this? A junkie who worked for slimeballs like Sportsmaster?

For a moment he looked over to 'Tigress', Artemis. Robin knew why she was there. She couldn't escape her father. She hadn't found a way out of his grasp. She must have succumbed to whatever her dad was teaching her and decided his ways were best. For her, the choice down this path was easy. It was heartbreaking to see the strong girl he knew succumb to the ravings of a madman.

But she was underage. Her dad was the one calling the shots. The courts would go lenient on her.

But Roy? Roy was an adult. Robin cringed as he looked back to his friend. The courts wouldn't go easy on him. He was an adult. He'd be lucky if they believed he was being coerced into this, but then he'd be charged for illegal possession and use of drugs. This guy's life was practically over.

"Roy…"

"Robin?" The boy wonder snapped his attention back to Zatanna. Concern covered her face. "Uh, I ran out of ties. We should finish up here and get going."

Slowly Robin nodded, then looked back to Roy on the ground. Thoughts and ideas lingered in the back of his mind for a while, then he nodded, a new flame burning within him.

He wasn't done yet.

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, catch all the comic book references? There's also a great Dick/batman line in there. X3 and just an FYI, Robin doesn't know how Cheshire fits into any of this. I watched how she fought in the show and it's pretty similar to Robin's techniques, so I think he'd think this way when fighting her.

So how was this fight sequence? good? bad? like I said before, I'm not very good at them. =/


	19. Ch 19 Found Out

**Disclaimer: **As much as I'd like to own all of the DC comic books just to read them, I can't own any of their characters. believe me, you'd be seeing a lot more finished stories if that were the case. Got addicted to Manga first. =/

Wow, loved the reactions to what I did to Roy! Thankfully, I'm gonna give him a happy ending. Or at least an ending (Hey, I like this guy). Artemis' future will remain uncertain because I really don't think I need to get into it. Some characters need more closure than others. For those who didn't catch the references, well, I'll share a few now and the rest later. Artemis' original villainess name was Tigress, and Roy became Arsenal after Speedy and before Red Arrow. he was known for having more than just arrows then.

Main one is the almost direct Dick/Batman quote I loved so much. It was between Jason/Red Hood and him. D: hate to embarrass you in front of your girlfriend. J: she's not my- D: *hits J* back story, not interested. XD miss the big and little D's dynamics. Always need one of the two to lighten the mood.

Anywho, I'm rambling. More rambling later. Story now!

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 19 – Found Out**

"I am not going to calm down!" Zatara shouted at Superman for the fifth time. "My daughter's out there with that boy doing who knows what! I only brought her here because Flash said he was safe! He's anything but safe!"

"Calm down. I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for this."

"I AM NOT GOING TO CALM DOWN!"

Superman wanted very much to calm the man down, but even he was taken back at finding the cave completely devoid of life when they returned that night. He had arrived to cover the night shift like before just a few minutes after Zatara and Wonder Woman had started panicking. Robin and Zatanna were not in the mountain. The two teenagers without any supervision decided to leave for unknown reasons.

The mountain was starting to fill itself with Leaguers recovering from the latest crisis soon after Superman arrived. Black Canary brought a slightly injured Green Arrow with her for medical treatment just after they finished clearing Star of Icicle Jr. and his ice bomb. Hal joined them shortly after, informing them of how Flash was handling the frozen victims (rubbing the ice off of them and returning body heat to their numb forms as safely as he could). Aquaman and Martian Manhunter were busy with organizing the cleanup, helping the rest of the Leaguers return the world to normal. About twenty Belle Reve escapees were now in custody again, along with about four hundred thugs the police carted off to regular prisons. Over all, a successful fix to what would have been another disaster for them.

Course no one had heard nor seen Batman, but that wasn't surprising. The man was neck deep in a case in Gotham, and the League was always second to his home town.

Superman was seriously considering calling the man. Robin took Zatanna out of the mountain (how they weren't sure) and hadn't returned. Hal was currently looking through the security feed, starting from where Diana and Zatara had taken off. It seemed like Robin was handling the situation rather well at first, even managed to calm the girl down after her father's departure. It wasn't until the credits rolled on their movie they acted up.

Somehow the kid knew about the computer access from the coffee table in there and started it up. Dick quickly used the cave's systems (how had he gained access?) to enhance the images on the TV screen. Then a second alarm went off in the system. Instantly the kid looked conflicted. He had held his head for a moment, mentally thinking something over. He became fidgety, grounded his teeth, and looked ready to launch into action at a moment's notice.

"What's wrong?" Zatanna had asked, her face beginning to cloud over in worry as she watched her new friend.

The boy had looked at her and tried to smile, but it was clear it wasn't for himself. "Two local events, nothing the League will look into until way later. They're just too busy for them. And we're stuck here, sitting on our hands."

The girl peaked over his shoulder for a moment to see what was on the screens, then he stood up to pace, running his hands through his hair. They could tell he was anxious and wanted to do something, but held back. Zatanna nodded to herself. "You want to go out."

"I hate staying home!" The boy's frustration was familiar. It reminded them all very much of times when they were condemned to stay put instead of going out to fight. "I promised them I would, but I also promised to uphold justice no matter what! How can I just…"

The boy's pause made them think. He wasn't about to just run off for any reason. Not knowing what was going on out there for the past few days probably stopped him from acting like this before. It was Zatanna who made the choice for him.

"So, wanna go on a date?"

He jerked to look at her in surprise. "What?"

"I'm asking if you want to go out with me and have some fun." Her sneaky smile confirmed it was more her idea than his.

The boy took a deep breath before responding. He was trying to be responsible. "We told them we'd stay and be good."

"No, you told them we'd be here when they got back." She gave him a knowing smile.

It was that smile that did it. "I need my gear. Think you can—"

"Sserd su rof elttab!" With a flash both kids were in costume, including Robin's belt, gloves and boots stored away in Batman's room (safest room in the cave). But one thing was missing.

"You forgot my mask."

"Aw, but I like your baby blues!" The look Robin gave her was enough to force her to comply. "Fine! Ksam oot."

"Thanks." He grinned when his face was covered. "Now, we're going to need transportation. Mind modifying one of the spare bikes while I hack the systems to let us out of the mountain? We'll Zeta-beam close as we can to the site, then we're on the road."

The two raced to the hangar and within minutes they were on a motorcycle magically modified to fit both of them. Robin tapped a few keys on this wrist computer and the tube activated. "Here we go!"

"How did he manage to hack Bat's system?" Green Arrow asked in bewilderment.

"Doesn't matter," Diana informed them, her eyes narrowing. "He took Zatanna into battle and they haven't returned. We need to find them and—"

"When I find that little bird, I'm gonna—"

_Recognized – Robin B01, Recognized – Zatanna B02_

The zeta-tube behind them lit up and two teenagers on a motorcycle slowed to a halt just outside of its rays. Everyone turned to the two, unable to finish their last thoughts. The ones in question had returned, neither looking the worse for ware. Zatanna stiffened behind Robin when they saw the Leaguers waiting on them. The boy wonder though didn't seem to notice nor care they were there. His face was entirely still, like the Bat's when he was thinking of something particularly personal.

Superman made it to their side first, quickly followed by Zatara. Both teens climbed off the bike and took off their helmets just as they arrived, the girl cringing a bit under her father's gaze while the boy's unreadable expression didn't look at them. His mind was clearly elsewhere.

"Robin!" Superman started, trying to mimic his parents' disapproving tone. "What were you—"

The man of steel was cut off by a sharp slap. Zatanna called out enraged after Zatara's hand made contact with Robin's cheek. The boy took the blow without a word, his expression not changing in the slightest.

"HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY DAUGHTER OUT LIKE THAT!"

"Dad! It was—"

"I TRUSTED YOU TO BEHAVE WHILE WE WERE AWAY AND YOU TAKE HER OUT INTO THE FIELD! SHE'S STILL IN TRAINING! SHE DOESN'T KNOW A THING ABOUT—"

"Sorry," Robin whispered. He didn't look at the man, but the tone was enough to tell them he meant it.

"—COMBAT SPELLS OR FIGHTING OR STRATEGY!"

"DAD!" Zatanna shouted in her defense. "I was fine! Robin was—"

"AND YOU!" Zatara turned on his daughter, roaring his displeasure and fears. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I'VE BEEN? DID YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES? YOU COULD HAVE DIED OUT THERE! YOU COULD HAVE—"

"Piz ruoy htuom!" In an instant, as if a cartoonist had drawn him, Zatara's mouth became a zipper drawn shut. The shock of the spell and rage on the girl's face was enough to silence the room. "Just listen for once! I was fine! No one laid a hand on me! Robin was the one fighting! It was my idea to go out at all! And the only reason we went out was because of you guys!"

She glared fiercely around the room, her rage and worry finally peaking through. "You all go off and have your adventures but don't think about the people you leave behind! You just think we'll just stay home and be safe! Well I can fight! And I'm going to!"

Green Arrow stepped forward, frustrated but trying to reason this out to the kid. "Look girl, it may have been easy today, but tomorrow—"

"Sportsmaster, Cheshire, Mister Twister," Robin listed off, his jaw tightening, "Tigress and Arsenal. And that was just this afternoon. It wasn't easy. They may not be Luthor or Ra's or the Ice Gang, but they aren't cake walks either."

"Robin," Superman started, "you don't understand—"

"I understand everything." The boy glared up at the man of steel. "I know you're worried and I know you care, but you're going to smother us if you don't let us fight. There's more out there to protect than just bodies and cities."

"Darn straight," Zatanna piped in, glaring her defiance. Her father grabbed her arm and pulled her out of her stubborn stance. "Hey!"

Zatara unzipped his mouth, the zipper lips disappearing within seconds. "You don't know what it's really like out there! I do everything I can to protect you and—"

"I don't want to just be protected!" his daughter argued back. "I want to help!"

"Puh," Green Arrow crossed his arms mockingly behind the two other leaguers, approaching the teens to put in his two bits. "Adrenaline junkie. One victory in the field doesn't make you qualified to—"

He was cut off when Robin threw his fist across his jaw, spinning him to the floor. Somehow the kid slipped around Superman and darted straight at him with that same stony face he arrived with. No, not stone. A cold controlled rage until the moment his fist made contact and exploded

"ROBIN!" several of them shouted in unison. GA looked up to the kid getting grabbed by several leaguers in case the kid tried anything else, but the kid had no intention of making another physical move. He just shook in rage, glaring fiercely at the archer on the floor.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE ROY IN?"

The man looked up at the kid in complete confusion, one hand resting on his bruised jaw. "What?"

"Almost four years ago," Robin started, stepping forward despite Superman's grip on his shoulder and Diana's on his arm, "you went to an archery competition! Roy Harper, at fifteen, was the fastest shot you've ever seen! Why didn't you take him in?"

"Robin calm down!" Superman ordered, finding it hard to restrain the kid without breaking his bones.

"What are you talking about?" Frustrated, Green Arrow shoved himself off the ground to tower over the kid. Robin wasn't backing down even the slightest from his glare. "I go to hundreds of archery competitions! Why would one kid at one of them matter?"

"Because that one kid without you turned into Arsenal!" The Leaguers around the boy exchanged glances of concern. Robin's shaking wouldn't stop. It was clear what he learned in these past few hours hurt him, enraged him. "Roy looked up to you! He had nothing! All you had to do was—"

"What kind of nut job would drag a kid into this world?" GA gestured around the cave and the capes within. Robin stopped shouting and stared at him as if horrified by the statements. The man glared down on him, becoming almost as dark and sinister as the Bat. "This isn't a game boy! People get hurt! They die every day fighting this war!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Robin retorted bitterly, his volume lowering with his glare. He wasn't resisting the hands holding him back anymore.

"Well clearly you don't! Or you wouldn't be here in the first place!"

"Oliver!" Black Canary shouted at him, earning the contempt of nearly everyone in the room. Zatara's current fury at the boy for putting his daughter in danger won him over.

"How can you say that!" Hal barked at his friend, anger starting to take control of his face.

"He's just a kid!" Superman piped in. "He doesn't know any better!"

"No kidding!" GA kept going as Robin's face continued to fall. "To him this is all just one big game! Go off, fight bad guys, go home, and eat ice cream! That's all that's in his head or he wouldn't have dragged Zatara's kid along!"

"It was my idea!" Zatanna shouted in Robin's defense. "And we did a really good job!"

"This time." The archer glared up at her, trying to drive his point home. "Next time you won't be so lucky. Next time they'll have guns! Or super powers! Or a bomb! Think you can handle all of that?"

"I have." Robin whispered, barely audible for anyone to hear. Superman and Black Canary (thanks to her training) were the only ones who heard it. They both looked at him and how much his demeanor changed from a few minutes ago. A forced stony face, not unlike Batman's, covered the majority of the pain he felt from Green Arrow's words. The man didn't know what he was doing to the kid.

Since he couldn't hear Robin's statement and Zatanna said nothing because of her newbie fears, GA smirked, thinking he'd proven his point. He certainly had for Zatara. "Didn't think so. Think about that next time you decide to play hero."

"Some hero," Robin muttered a little louder. He glared up to the archer, meeting his eyes easily enough. "You wouldn't even save the life of one fifteen year old boy."

At his statement everyone froze. Knowing the conversation was over, Robin twisted himself out of both Leaguer's hands and started walking towards the living quarters towards his temporary room. He kept his eyes on the floor, fiddling with the latches on his gloves as he walked. They only heard him speak again when he entered the hallway.

"Sorry for ruining your visiting privileges Zee. I make a horrible date."

Before anyone could respond to that, he was far down the hallway and out of their sights.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Don't you hate it when someone keeps telling you to calm down when you have every reason in the world to be upset? *shakes head*

I felt certain parts of this were too slow, what do you think? I just needed to pass some information in at one point hence the security feed, but I felt like it slowed down the story a little too much. Did love Zatara's reaction though. Very reasonable considering Zatanna's all he has.

Course the part I'm most proud about is Robin decking GA. Best part ever! I've had that planned out when I decided to put Roy in ages ago. We already know some league members are against Robin going out into the field because he's a kid, but no one says it the same way he does. Ollie's pretty harsh here. and Rob brings up a very good point. You're not much of a hero if you aren't willing to help a person in need. One thing I like about batman is how in many cases he's just dealing with someone at the end of their ropes who'll gladly go another direction if they can. And he saves them by giving them that way out. Can't just save people through brute force. Haven't seen much of GA outside of combat so I can't make any judgement calls on him. Dunno if either of them started doing this though before or after they got their first partners. *shrug* anyway, now we have a very upset Robin. That's not going to be easy to fix.

Also, wave goodbye to Zatanna! The magicians have left the building. =D not bashing them, just giving you an FYI.


	20. Ch 20 In Need of Talking

**Disclaimer:** More sure than anything, I'm more likely to get colds than get rights to DC comics characters.

Heh, so glad you guys liked the decking of Ollie. This Ollie really earned it. Dunno if he's gonna be in this story much after this chapter though. Now for the aftermath!

You know what the best part about being sick is? having to stay still for hours on end to let yourself recooperate. So laying on your bed with a laptop typing is obviously the best thing in the world. Been getting quite a bit of typing done. =D Enjoy!

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 20 – In Need of a Talk**

"Robin?" Superman knocked on the kid's door, knowing the boy could hear him. He tried opening it a few times but the thing stayed firmly shut. Somehow the boy had jerry rigged the door panels so he could lock it from the inside. How no one could be sure. This kind of technology wasn't Clark's thing, and the kid had left his utility belt outside the door, along with his gloves and boots.

"Robin please open up," the man of steel begged. Technically he could have ripped the door open, but he wasn't very good with this technology, and it wasn't an easy door to replace either. They'd have to move the kid to another room and there weren't any. "I just want to talk."

"Phft. Talk? To what? The kid who doesn't understand anything?" What he said wouldn't normally be audible, but they both knew the alien could hear it. He also knew the man could see through the door, and the boy curled up on the bed, his back turned from the door.

Superman sighed. "It's not like that."

"Yeah right."

"Look Robin," he tried to explain, "you know we don't approve of—"

"My whole existence."

"—children being apart of this life," he finished firmly, trying to explain himself.

"Do I have to remind you of the Legion?"

Superman took a step back, shocked the kid knew about his time with the Legion of Superheroes. They were in the 31st century and helped him gain control of his powers when he was… "I'm different."

"Oh, so because you're an alien with godlike powers, that makes it okay to run around in the future saving people is it?"

"How do you even—"

"My Uncle Clark told me stories about them okay! About the Legion, about Krypton, about Smallville, about everything!" Robin shifted on the bed uncomfortably. "Really liked the ones with Nightwing. Bet he didn't get barked at as a kid because he decided to save the day."

"Robin…"

"Just go away Clark." He curled in again, not wanting to see anything but the blank wall before him. "Leave me alone."

"I can't leave you alone," Superman insisted. He was really starting to feel bad about what he said now. "We really hurt you out there and—"

"I know this isn't a game," the boy muttered. "Just take a look at my back. Thank Two-Face and Joker for half of them."

Hesitantly, Superman focused his X-ray vision to see through the boy's Kevlar tunic straight to his bare back. Several long and painful scars of varying shapes danced across his flesh. There were even signs of bullet wounds and burns. A bruise was forming on one shoulder and another on his neck, though much lighter in comparison. The strongest of the League gasped at the sight, and without thinking looked even deeper into the boy's body, to his bones. Several of his ribs showed signs of being broken before multiple times. His arms and legs even showed signs of past fractures and the cracks on the boy's skull seemed just as many as on Batman's, if not more.

He took a step back at the picture before him. This boy had suffered more injuries fighting along side his Batman than he thought Bruce would ever allow. How could anyone justify—

"If I had listened to Batman's rules earlier on, I might not have so many scars," Robin muttered. "But each one's worth it. It's always worth it."

He turned completely around on the bed and faced Superman, glaring through the door. "So back off."

How the boy knew exactly where to glare to meet the man's eyes, he couldn't tell, but he did. As Superman stepped back again, the kid turned back to his original position, cringing slightly at the bruised shoulder. Come to think of it, that was the same shoulder he held on to earlier. His grasp while holding the kid back hurt him in more ways than he thought.

Dejected, the man of steel turned away from the door towards the main hall. Diana was returning the bike to its proper place now Zatara had fixed it. The little family unit left shortly after Robin confined himself, Zatanna finally subdued enough to be guided home. Oliver was busy rubbing his ears as Canary shouted her opinion at the archer. Hal was occupied glaring his displeasure not only at Ollie, but at Superman as well.

"Rejected huh?" the space cop stated as the big blue boyscout came back in.

He nodded. "And he jammed the door lock."

Hal grinned. "What'd you expect? He was trained by his DaddyBats. There's no talking to him when you attack him like that."

"I didn't attack him," Superman snapped back.

"Oh, sure you didn't." The pilot rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he looked back to Ollie and Dinah's heated argument. "You just belittled his intelligence and pretty much said the same thing as Ollie here in a kinder way. I wonder if we can get that punch on YouTube. I'm sure the public at large will love to see it."

"Have you seen the scars on his body?" he jibed back.

Hal shrugged. "Have you seen mine? Or Barry's? How about Bats and GA's? Canary's got a few good ones too ya know. Comes with the territory."

"A kid shouldn't have those scars."

"A kid shouldn't be shot through space and adopted by strangers on a farm either," he pointed out. "They shouldn't see their parents' die, they shouldn't have powers, they shouldn't go through a lot of things. But we all did in some way or another. And we survived and became better people because of it."

Superman glared at Green Lantern for a moment, already knowing where the man was leading him. "He really shouldn't—"

"It's not our choice to make for him Blue." Hal straightened himself, readying to leave once Canary's lecture to the archer was finished. It was winding down now. "It's his, and I'm pretty sure he made it long before we knew him."

"But—"

"I don't know if you noticed, but I did." The space cop turned and stared him in the eye. "He was more concerned about this Roy than he was about himself. I wonder what he found out there to make him so upset at Ollie for not taking him in. I'd ask, but I've gotta clock in at my other job. Tootles."

With that, the Green Lantern shot into the zeta-tube and out of the cave before anyone could be the wiser. Wonder Woman looked over to Superman and gave a quick nod before entering her own code to leave for the night. She was visiting the UN tomorrow, but they had talked earlier and were very good friends. She supported Clark's opinion that the kid shouldn't be fighting, but more importantly that he had to be sent home quickly.

"You're completely mad lady!" Green Arrow shouted at his comrade as he ran to the tubes.

"And you're only qualified to be a dead-beat dad!" Black Canary was just short of using her canary cry.

"You know what? Screw you! Don't ever ask me to baby-sit that brat!" Thankfully the tube's light took the man away before anything else could be said by the archer.

"Who'd want you as a father-figure anyway!" she retorted to the air. For a long minute she glared at the tube the man exited from, then turned bitterly towards the hall leading to her quarters. She looked Superman in the eye and then at his demeanor. "Rejected huh?"

"Yeah…" Superman rubbed his head in shame. He still didn't like the idea of the kid fighting, but Hal did bring up some pretty good points.

"Well what did you expect, a round of applause?" Dinah shook her head and strode past him. "Let me try."

"He locked the door from the inside," Clark chimed in as he followed her back to the kid's room.

"Huh. Really is Batman's kid." Her voice was steadily becoming softer as they walked forward. She was not going to use her angry voice with Robin. "Can't get either to do what you want. Only hope they'll agree it's the best decision."

She stopped short when she spotted the boots, gloves and belt outside his door. It won a smirk from her lips and a slight shake of her head. "He really is a good kid."

"He disobeyed orders," Superman insisted.

"And yet he knows we would have taken these things away again and left them out here." Dinah looked over her shoulder at the man of steel and shook her head. "He's trying to be good so we'll help him get home. He didn't go out lightly. That security feed proves Zatanna was the one who shoved them out the door.

"And don't you think it's interesting?" She cocked her head as she looked over Superman. "On the same day and time we're all occupied with that ice age plan, Happy Harbor is attacked by five criminals? At least one's an assassin and another registers on the 'super' list. Cheshire and Sportsmaster don't usually work together. What do you think they were after?"

"Um…" Honestly he hadn't thought of things like that. With Robin and Zatanna's little escapade, he only thought about how neither of them should be fighting and it was a miracle they came back alive. But it was pretty suspicious.

"I'll have to ask him." Quickly, Dinah rapped her knuckles on the boy's door. "Robin, it's me, Black Canary."

Looking through the wall, Superman could see the boy turn his head towards the door at the lady's name. He slowly uncurled himself and pushed himself up as she continued speaking through the door. "Mind if I come in and talk for a few minutes? Or I can just listen."

Robin hesitated, still sitting on the bed but looking at the door all the same. Clark could tell he didn't want to talk to anyone, but Black Canary must have been an exception. He probably had a relationship with his Dinah, one he felt was safe.

Slowly the woman sighed. "Look, I know what Oliver said was harsh. I've already yelled at him for it," Robin smirked at this comment, "and he's gone for the night. He won't be watching you later. But there are things I have to say.

"He's wrong. I haven't known you very long, or very well, but I do know you're a strong and dedicated person who'll do everything he can to protect the people around you. Zatanna said you were the only one fighting, she only cast spells. You wouldn't put her in the crossfire no matter what, and probably take a bullet for her if you could.

"I would have for the JSA too." Superman stared openly at the woman, not understanding what she was bringing up. Slowly she continued. "I don't know if you've heard my story. My mother… she died while working along side the Society. They raised me into who I am today. They taught me how to fight, how to serve, and how to live each day to its fullest. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Wildcat or Flash or Green Lantern back then. I understand what you meant. The influence of one person in another's life makes all the difference in the world."

Clark watched Dinah in shock. He never heard her story before. Raised by the JSA? He knew she worked with them back when… she was a teen. A kid. Like Robin, this was her life. Now look at what she had become.

"The others don't understand because they didn't grow up doing this. It's something they have to learn another way. Please, let me in and—"

The door hissed open and Robin looked up at her, still dressed in his uniform. He really did look ready to talk to her. He looked past her to Superman, then his eyes narrowed. "He stays outside. No peaking."

Dinah almost laughed. "Alright. May I?"

Robin nodded and stepped aside as she came into his room. Instantly after she was through, Robin tapped some wires on the other side of the electronic lock inside the wall, closing and locking the door again. Superman turned and walked away, rejected once again.

Black Canary looked at the wall next to the door and smirked. From what she could tell, Robin kicked in a hole to reach the back of the door's control panel and rewired it so only he could lock it. "Interesting trick with the lock."

"Diana woke me up this morning," Robin explained, not looking at her. "Hardly slept at all last night. And I didn't want to hang out with her after that. Best solution I could come up with."

The lady nodded her understanding, taking a good long look at the boy. He was hugging himself as he looked away from her, obviously uncomfortable still with this situation. His cape was tossed over the end of his bed, but that was the last piece of costume he removed when he returned to this place. His mask was obviously still there to hide his emotions, but it didn't help much. He was hurt and angry, but was trying to keep strong. Robin's whole demeanor was different from the first few hours he arrived in this world, even more so from when she saw him a couple days ago.

As if much more was sinking in to him, things he hadn't thought of, ideas he rather not have.

Canary started again. "You know Green Arrow's wrong."

"In a lot of ways and a lot of times," Robin finished. "I just didn't think he'd be this screwed up."

The boy hung his head, wanting to explain further. "In my world, Ollie's one of the cool ones. He and Roy butt heads a lot, but he's trying. He's trying to understand him and make things right. Roy may not be his sidekick anymore, but he still worries about him. Ollie calls me and KF all the time to see how he's doing. I just thought…."

The boy wonder shifted uncomfortably, not able to think of much more to say. "Things are really different here. More than I thought."

"Apparently so." Canary sat down on the edge of the bed. "I think you called Superman your uncle earlier."

"Almost." Robin leaned against the chest of drawers, still not ready to meet her eyes. "He was the first Leaguer outside of Batman I met, and you know those two are best friends."

"They'll never admit it," Dinah joked.

It won a smirk from the kid. "Bruce won't. Clark said they were good friends a few times. He and Barry love embarrassing him. Diana doesn't press it."

He shook his head to clear it. "Clark mentioned once it wasn't safe for me to go out on rooftops with Bruce, but then he talked to Alfie and it ended that. Alfred doesn't really approve of us going out every night like this, but he's glad we're together. He told me once so long as we had each other as backup, we didn't worry him as much."

Dinah smiled fondly. She hadn't met this older man, but everyone who had paid him the highest complements. "It's always better to have someone watching your back."

"Can you watch Roy's?"

Their eyes connected at last and Canary could tell this is what was troubling him most. There was a plea in his voice, one she hadn't heard since he called after Batman when he first arrived and was rejected by the dark knight. He was begging her to help their version of his friend.

"What?"

"When we went after Sportsmaster," Robin explained, his eyes not leaving hers, "we ran into him first. He's going by Arsenal, and I don't think he really wants to be there."

"I've heard of Arsenal," she admitted. "Shot Green Arrow in the back once."

"That hardly sounds like him," the boy admitted. "Roy would shoot at him if Ollie kept teasing him, but he's a fair person back home. Something here must have set him off, something—"

"Robin." Dinah placed a hand on his arm gently, hoping to calm his rambling. "This isn't your friend. He's a criminal here."

"But you can change that!" he pleaded again. "He doesn't have to be a criminal. He doesn't have to be a hero either! He just needs someone who believes in him, who'll support him and give him a good example."

"But the police have him in custody," Canary reiterated. "He committed a crime and—"

She stopped as Robin turned his head slightly away. Something was up. She watched his expression become more and more nervous. "Robin, what did you do?"

"I didn't let him go," he answered quickly, still not meeting her eyes. "I could have left him with Sportsmaster, Cheshire and…" Robin shook his head in disappointment. "Tigress. But I couldn't. I… Roy's like my big brother. I can't just…"

The woman stared at the boy, her hand still on his arm to keep him there. Calmly she repeated. "What did you do?"

"He's at the hospital, rehab center. He's why it took so long for us to get back." He lowered his head again, sadness burning through him from the memory. "Zee and I took him to the farthest hospital from the crime scene and checked him in. We told him we found him in the gutter and all we got was his name. I said he was seventeen too.

"We said his name was Jordon Lance." Robin looked up guiltily as he added, "Took some money out of Ollie's bank account to pay for him too. Told them Ollie was my uncle."

Dinah stared at him in shock. This kid really had some guts doing all that. He was aiding and abetting a criminal, falsifying information, and stealing money from a member of the Justice League, all to help someone who wasn't even his friend there. How he managed to do all this when he had a hard time controlling his expressions now was a miracle.

"Robin…"

"I know you guys don't really approve but it was the only thing I could think of." Robin took a step towards her, his eyes behind his mask pleading for her help. "Roy had no one after Brave Bow died here, and you know what it's like in orphanages. And at fifteen? Most teenage orphans turn to crime only to get attention from someone. He got Sportsmaster's or someone else's eye right around then and probably got him hooked on drugs to keep him in their clutches. He's an amazing archer and a great fighter. They'd probably do anything to keep him on their side.

"He's not an evil guy." Robin pulled down his collar and showed her the bruise starting to form on his neck. It was going to be light, but it would still hurt for a bit. "If he were really a bad guy, he'd have taken out one of his knives and stabbed me in the back. He wouldn't have put me in a headlock. I know Roy. I know what he's willing to do and what he won't do. And one thing he won't do is kill."

He let go of his collar and sighed, looking a little away from Dinah for a moment. "He just needs someone who'll be there for him. He was with those three for a reason, but back home, he was the one who fought Cheshire in Relasia. Roy's saved my hide more times than I can count. I owed it to him to make sure he had a way out of that life. To set things right for him. He… he just needs someone good to look out for him."

Dinah watched the boy in silence for a while, rolling it over in her mind. Robin's sincerity and concern for Roy was far more than she first anticipated. No wonder he decked Oliver earlier. Seeing his "big brother" turned into a twisted form of who he really was, broke the kid's heart.

Slowly she lifted herself off the bed and held Robin's shoulders lightly. She leaned over to be on eye level with him, hoping he'd look at her face once again. "Which hospital is Roy in?"

Robin lifted his gaze to her face, a little hope returning to it. "You're going to help him right? Please tell me you're going to help him."

Black Canary smiled warmly. "I'll do everything I can for him. I swear it."

A smile lit itself gently on his face, relief and hope returning to him. "Junction Hospital on Juniper. He's on suicide watch and heavily sedated so he won't be leaving any time soon. The doctor said it'd take a long time for him to recover from his injuries too."

Dinah smirked. "Thought of everything haven't you?"

Robin shrugged, a bit embarrassed. "Just did what Batman did for Stromwell's kid."

This made the woman blink. "What he…"

"You'd be surprised how many people he's saved," the boy murmured, a small proud smile on his face. "It isn't always about fighting or detective work. Sometimes it's just pointing someone in the right direction."

Dinah watched the boy for a moment and smiled fondly. She pulled the boy into a warm hug and after a moment, he returned it in thanks. Green Arrow and Superman really were wrong. This kid did understand. He knew exactly what he was doing out there. He knew exactly what it meant to be a hero, and he was exactly that.

"Good job today," she murmured in his ear. Robin sunk deeper into her arms at those words, somehow calming his troubled heart. "But you did run off on us."

This won her a short laugh. Robin released her and looked her in the eye again. "Then next time I just won't watch the news. Happy?"

She shrugged sarcastically. "It'll do. But you're still grounded."

The boy rolled his eyes. "What else is new?"

* * *

><p>AN: LOL! I get Dick grounded a lot I've noticed. the little trouble maker, and this isn't going to be the last time he gets in trouble here either *laughs hysterically*

Now, notes on certain characters. Dinah. That bit of history about her mom and the society I got from Brave and the Bold TV series. Her mom (identical to her) died in a fire where she told Wildcat to take care of her little girl. When I did some reading up on her, it didn't say whether or not her parents were dead, just that she had the society as her sitters since she was a kid. So i may be wrong about her past. I do know though that she was critical in Roy's rehabilitation to his drug addiction! Roy's three main adult figures in the league growing up were Ollie, Hal, and Dinah, so I thought making Roy's false name Jordan Lance was pretty clever. Gives her unlimited access to Roy at the very least. And I saw on another series that people on suicide watch are sedated and can only be checked out of hospitals by family members if that's the case. Just saying.

Everyone's logic is winning Superman over to Robin's views. really, when Clark was with the Legion of superheroes, how old was he? and then there is Dinah with the society. Plus Dick was really more concerned about Roy more than anything else. There's going to be more convincing though before the man of steel bends his rules for this boy.

and for those who want batman back, get ready. he's coming back shortly. ^^V


	21. Ch 21 Can't Change Others

**Disclaimer:** If I could change another person, then I could also own DC comics and all their characters. last I checked, people can only change themselves. Darn.

Just an FYI, time's gonna speed up a bit because there's not many more events left or explanations to tell. Just a few more differences here and I'm pretty much done. I don't think this story will make it to 30 chapters, but it's getting there. Though there is some Batman in the next two chapters, he won't be talking to Robin for another... four? I think four. Still working on that part.

Glad everyone liked how Dinah made things right for Robin. I'm afraid the case he ran over isn't going to be solved for a bit. I'm more of a family/friends/humor writer than crime. ^^; Oh well.

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 21 – Can't Change Others**

"Batman, respond," Superman insisted through the com channels. Since Robin wouldn't talk to him, he thought he'd get someone who could drive some sense home to the kid.

He received a grunt on the other end. "This better be important."

The man of steel breathed out. Batman did not sound happy. It was likely whatever case he was on wasn't going well. "It's about Robin."

"No change on my end," the Bat reported. "I'll contact you when I have something."

"No, it's not about that," his friend tried to explain. He knew as soon as anyone had a way to send the kid back they would. "He found a way out of the mountain while we were fighting the Ice Gang and fought some criminals."

The mortal on the other end seemed to consider what he said for a moment. "Did he come back?"

"Well, yes…" Superman admitted.

"In one piece?" he asked in mild interest.

"A few bruises but no permanent damage. But—"

"Did he win?" his tone not changing.

"That's not the point here!" Superman would have slammed his fists against a consol if there was one. "He took Zatara's daughter with him. He put her in danger!"

Batman's voice darkened slightly. "Somehow I doubt it."

"And when we tried to talk to him, he decked Oliver!" he insisted.

"Who hasn't?" The dark knight gave another grunt. "I'm busy here so unless there's something important, don't bother calling again."

With that the line was cut, leaving an exasperated man of steel gaping at his link. How could this man feel nothing about this scenario? He almost sounded amused. Superman stared into space for a minute, not quite able to fathom why this news only received this much of a reaction.

* * *

><p>Superman was tempted to stay there the next few days to watch the kid and make certain he behaved and try to talk to him again, but had to return to work at the Planet by noon the next day. He was there though to note every change in the boy's demeanor.<p>

After Black Canary left the mountain the previous night, Robin set himself towards going to bed. They didn't mention giving him any punishments for his behavior but he went without supper anyway. And as usual, the kid had bad dreams all night long. Clark cringed every time he heard the boy wake up panting and telling himself to calm down, everything was just a dream. It was no wonder he didn't attempt to leave his room until nearly eleven that morning.

King Orin was on duty that day, and the King of Atlantis paid the child little heed. Superman told him about the previous day's adventures while Aquaman was finishing the ice gang's fiasco. The king merely listened and nodded, choosing to take no sides in this case. He did wonder out loud though if all young children were like this; his queen was pregnant with their first born after all, and he worried he'd be a poor father to his child.

When Robin came in with his green lantern shirt and sunglasses, he hesitated to talk to the man. He completely ignored Superman being there, apparently still mad at him about the previous day. Slowly he came towards the man watching the monitors in the main hall.

"Hi."

Aquaman kept his eyes on the screens. "Is it normal for surface children to sleep so late?"

Robin looked away nervously. "I had trouble sleeping."

"Ah." The man nodded in understanding.

"Um…" The boy shifted his feet, bighting his lip as he chose his words. "I'll probably stay in the gym and my room all day, so is it okay if…"

"I'll watch you on the monitors."

"What?" Superman jerked his gaze to the man, unable to believe his ears.

Robin smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

"Robin-" the man of steel started, but was paid no heed.

"I'll just get something to eat now." Quickly the boy darted into the kitchen to find something to eat that day, moving around the other hero as if he wasn't there.

"Wait a minute, Robin!" Superman tried again but was held back by Orin. He looked at the king exasperated. "I need to talk to him."

"I may not know much about children," Aquaman stated, "but I do know a thing or two about people and tempers. Now is not the time. No one ignores you lightly."

"I just need to explain a few things about yesterday," he tried to reason. Truth be told, he just couldn't stand the kid hating him. He didn't mean to hurt the kid yesterday but Robin really didn't understand how things worked there. Really, only meta-children could safely become heroes. Canary was a proven factor, and she was surrounded by the Justice Society growing up. His views had changed a bit since talking to her and Hal last night, but he wasn't entirely convinced Robin was right.

"If this boy is anything like Batman," Aquaman warned, "he's not ready for any of your explanations. Just let him be for the day. I'll keep an eye out for him."

"I really don't think we should just keep an eye out for him," Superman tried again. "I think we need to convince him to get out of this business. You should see the scars on the kid. There's enough to make your head turn."

"Comes with the job." Orin changed screens on the monitors, nodding to himself. "How long has he been doing this? Nearly five years?"

The man of steel looked away uncomfortably. Okay, five years. Batman and Green Arrow didn't have powers and had been at it longer. The scars they had made the kid's look like cracks on a windshield. Their backs were covered in them, and you never wanted to know how many times they hurt their insides. Five years in this business would mean you had scars, whether you were a professional or not.

"Still doesn't make it right."

Orin sighed as he changed monitors again. "Regardless, he's his own man. People are people and we can only change ourselves, not each other."

This silenced him at long last, finding he had to rethink everything again. He didn't want Robin to get hurt. Batman said the boy was dead in their world. What was his Batman thinking putting him so close to death every day he went out as a sidekick? Briefly Superman glanced over to Robin in the kitchen, looking through all the stone and steel between them. The boy was eating cereal, but didn't look like he was tasting it. The forlorn look on his face reminded the kryptonian why the kid was there at all.

This wasn't his home and he knew it. He really wanted to go home.

Bitterly the alien looked away, feeling even more ashamed of what he said. Whether the kid understood the situation or not didn't really matter. This wasn't his world. Somehow they'd find a way to send him home. Green Lantern John Stewart was looking outside their system for interdimensional tech, maybe something like what the boy described to him. Despite taking Zatara's daughter out into the field, the magician was still looking through books to find a spell to send him back. He was probably looking now more to protect his daughter than anything else. Robin needed to go home.

About ten minutes passed before Robin came back into the room to return to the living sector. Superman was about to speak but stopped when he saw the same look as before on the kid's face. He was almost inside the hallway when he stopped and looked back to King Orin. There was a bit of nervous fear on his face, unsure if he should be doing something.

"Um, Aquaman?" Robin started. The king looked over to him to show he had the boy's attention. "Do you know anything about Kaldur'ham? He should be a citizen of yours."

The king's expression didn't change. "I'm afraid not. Is he someone important in your world?"

The boy looked down. "He was Aqualad, your sidekick. Black with blond hair, tattoos, very calming. In my world, he and his best friend Garth helped you defeat Ocean Master a few years back. I was just wondering what happened to him here."

There were faint signs of recognition at some of the other names. Superman watched the king closely for that moment, wondering what the man would say. "I'll look into him. But do know, our public records are not the same as the ones on the surface world. It may take some time before I know anything."

Robin looked up to him for a moment, then nodded. "Thanks. Kal's a great guy. You'll like him."

The kid gave a brief smile then continued down the hall to get some studying in. Superman looked over to Orin, a confused look on his face. "I thought you were already looking for that kid? After Flash told us about all them, you seemed pretty eager to-"

"I already found him Superman." There was a note of pain in the king's voice. "I just haven't the heart to tell Robin the truth. Not yet."

"The truth?" The man of steel looked over the sea king. What truth could he be hiding from this boy just asking about his friends?

Orin shook slightly as he explained. "Kaldur'ham was in a terrorist bombing in Atlantis seventeen months ago. Black Manta sent in a suicide bomber, a surface world idea he twisted into his own."

"Great Scott." Superman gasped in horror. From the other day, they knew one of his friends lives was completely different in a negative way. And this one…

"Worst of it is," the king continued, "he was the bomber."

The man of steel froze, unable to move from this statement. In Robin's world, Kaldur was a hero. In this, he was a madman's dead patsy. How could the difference between the two worlds be that great?

Orin shook his head slowly and continued his routine on the monitors, trying to busy himself. "I do know of the event in question though. I met Garth during that fight with Ocean Master. I took him into my household that very day. He's a brilliant young lad, but I fear he fancies a certain lady a bit much. Maybe I should take him with me while we patrol the seas."

Superman gaped at him. He never even heard of this boy. "What?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while now to tell the truth." There was some amusement in his voice. "He fears with the coming of my child there will be no place for him in my life. I want him to know otherwise."

"Why didn't you tell us before?" his comrade asked.

Orin looked at him for a long moment, staring him down. "Would you have agreed with me if I had? Garth is not my child, and I've only known him as a young man. Our people are different from you surface dwellers; we mature far quicker to ensure our survival. I hardly think of him as a child, merely less experienced. I feared you would not agree with me.

"Apparently my fears were well founded." He returned to the monitors, one displaying Robin hopping back on his bed and taking on the math book again. Inside his room he took off his sunglasses to see better, but also revealing the weariness in his eyes. "If Garth was the first 'child hero' you heard of, I wonder what measures you would take to prevent him from helping me."

Superman found he couldn't argue with the king. Maybe he was taking this the wrong way. Still Robin could have been an ordinary boy. Why wasn't he?

Silence stood in the room for a minute before the alien turned toward the Zeta-tubes. "Try to get him to fix the lock on his door. We really need to be able to get in there."

* * *

><p>Clark left work early that evening to take his turn again. He really was bothered by everything and felt he could probably talk reasonably with Robin now. Having the kid angry at him upset him on many levels. He liked the kid, he really did. He just wanted him to be safe.<p>

Superman and Aquaman weren't the only leaguers there that night. When he arrived, Aquaman was still at the monitors, but he could hear a pleasant conversation in the common area. He quietly peaked over to the couches and saw Black Canary and Robin talking animatedly.

"So he's going to be okay?" Robin's relief couldn't outweigh his smile.

Dinah nodded, smiling contently. "Yes he is. I'm transferring him over to a clinic in Seattle."

"That's great!"

"He wasn't terribly happy though when he came to," she told the boy. "But I've never met a person in rehab who was. I told him it's either this or prison."

Robin snickered. "That should have quieted him down."

"It did. I think he understands this is his only chance to come clean." Canary leaned forward in her seat. "You were right. He doesn't want to be a criminal. He just didn't know what else to do. He ran away from his orphanage and had a hard time providing for himself. Apparently he joined a gang for survival and impressed Sportsmaster with his archery skills when he was giving cover during a heist. He started drugs shortly after, trying to forget his guilt for doing all the crimes he committed. He was less of a thief and more of a bodyguard for criminals."

"That's interesting." The boy looked down in thought, but there was some pride in this coming to his face. He was glad the young man wasn't a hard core crook.

"What's even more interesting," Canary continued, "was him asking about Jade. Whoever this Jade is, she might be the real reason he stayed on the opposite side of the law."

"Maybe we could find this Jade and turn her!" Robin proposed excitedly. "If he really likes her, then there has to be some good in her. I mean, there's good in Catwoman."

"Catwoman?" An amused smirk started on Dinah's face. Superman blinked. That rumor again…

Robin grinned. "Yep. She's probably the best of the girls Batman likes. She's a thief, but most times Bruce can convince her to return the stolen goods. Since she's not a killer and has a sense of justice, he really does like her a lot. A lot better lady than Talia."

"Wait," Canary held a hand up. "Batman really does like Catwoman?"

"Yep."

"I thought that was just gossip."

Robin cackled. "Heck no. Do you have any idea how many times I've caught them kissing? And he pouts if he doesn't see her every other month."

Canary laughed. Superman's jaw dropped. Batman always growled at them when they brought up the possibility of him and Catwoman being together. He thought the man was upset at being associated with a criminal. Now he wondered if he was just being his usual grumpy and private self.

Both of them calmed down after a moment. Robin was still smiling, some confidence restored. "It's good to hear he's going to be okay."

"I'll do what I can for him," Dinah agreed, "but he has to change on his own accord."

The boy nodded. "I know. Just don't give up on him okay? Roy's a really great guy. Stubborn as anything, but he listened to you in my world. I think he'll listen to you here too."

"He better not be the only one who will." She gave him a knowing look, making the kid roll his eyes behind his glasses.

"Alright alright. I'll fix the lock. But I still deserve some privacy. I mean, there's bugs and a camera in my room. Can't I at least lock the door when I need to?"

Canary looked up in thought for a minute, considering this. "Makes sense. We should at least have a passcode to enter when it's an emergency though."

"I miss old fashion doors," Robin admitted. "A simple key on a simple lock and you were pretty much done. Security sucks but at least you had privacy. I'll come up with something, but it's not going to be easy."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." They grinned at each other, making Superman a little jealous. That first night he felt like he made a connection with the kid and now he felt it was gone. How was he going to correct this?

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, who didn't love Batman's conversation with Supes? I loved it! First he covers the basics, then like any dad asks if his son won the fight! XD Oh, gotta love him.

As for Kaldur, well I had to tell you all what happened to him. remember inside 'Get Back Up' he ended up being the mole and was set up by his evil dad as Aquaman's sidekick? Well I thought it'd be ironic if without Robin, Kal would be used by his dad another way, one a bit more final. In a way, Robin saved Kaldur's life. How's that for something significant no one's going to know about back in Earth-16? :3 Don't cry too much for him okay? It was the only quick way to end all debate on his fate. Garth's actual story though gets to take place, minus the regular timeline and becoming Aqualad (which I bet will happen shortly after this talk).

And Dinah talking to Robin at the end is to show you what's going to happen to Roy. I have a good twist at the end for him too.

And last of all, Robin's silent treatment to Supes isn't going to last very long. Being angry at him that whole day was actually Dick's way of getting even with him. He knows Clark hates being hated by kids, so this was his way to punish the guy. Fun times. ^^V


	22. Ch 22 Returning of Knightmares

**Disclaimer:** Been reading Identity crisis, you know the one owned my DC comics, and I was reminded how much l like to borrow their characters. Lookie here! I'm borrowing them right now! not even getting a cent off of it either.

Well, now that I've tortured Supes, It's time he had something "good" happen to him. Just remember, people who are barely awake don't always make much sense. Been building up for this scene for a bit if you read carefully earlier.

I use "Knightmares" a lot don't i? =/ it's just a great play on words unfortunately.

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 22 – Returning of Knightmares**

Like all the other times before, it started with tossing and turning. He could hear the whimpers and whispered pleas as well. Then the boy would thrash, sometimes screaming. Superman tried to ignore it, knowing the kid would wake himself up shortly and calm himself down, but it hurt every time he heard the boy's pleas.

Each night they became worse. Each night he thrashed and shouted longer, louder. Often he begged for his parents, or Bruce. Depending on the dream, he alternated between Bruce and Batman, always crying out for protection. Robin's voice would tear a person up inside. It tore up Clark every time.

But this night he couldn't take it. Try as he might, Superman couldn't ignore another of the boy's pleas. He pushed it out of his mind all the times before, but not this time. He flew straight to the kid's door and tried to open it from the outside. The lock was still engaged, but a note was written above it. Hastily, he read it, realizing it was the only clue he'd get to safely enter the room.

_If two is company and three's a crowd, what's four and five?_

A riddle. Great. Thankfully he heard this one before and pressed nine on the keypad. Instantly the doors opened, letting him rush over to the boy's bedside. He grasped the kid's shoulders, shaking him gently awake. "Robin! Robin!"

It took a moment but the boy woke, sweating and panting for breath. He looked around wildly, mind racing from the terror he was witnessing just seconds ago. "It was just a nightmare. Everything's fine here. You're safe."

"Clark?" Robin shook a bit, confused still from his dream, still looking around. Desperation filled his voice. "Wha… Where's Bruce? Did Joker…"

Superman pulled the boy into his chest, holding him as he continued to shake. "It's alright, it's alright. Joker's not here. Bruce is fine. It's just a bad dream. Everything's okay."

Slowly the child raised his arms and hugged him back, calming his heartbeat breath by breath. The kryptonian continued to speak to him, reassuring him everything was alright and there was nothing out there to hurt him. He rubbed the boy's back and rested his chin on the kid's head, comforting him best he could. Below him he heard a few soft sobs, but not a word of explanation. Robin seemed content just staying like this for a few minutes.

When Superman ran out of words to say, he fell into silence, hoping the boy would drift back to sleep in a few moments. Instead he heard him whimper.

"I wanna go home."

"I know." His heart ached hearing Robin's forlorn voice. It really was all he wanted in this world, and he was denied it.

"I wanna see Bruce and play basketball. I wanna talk to Alfred and eat his cookies. I wanna hear Gordon and Batman plan the next drug raid on Thorne. To hang out with Wally and Roy and Conner and Kal and Artie and Megs. To train with Canary and tease Ollie. To go on missions again and take down bad guys. I wanna see the farm again and eat your Ma's pies." He curled up, still pressed into Clark's arms. "I wanna go home. Why can't I go home?"

Superman closed his eyes, not wanting to see the lost face off the child in his arms. Just his voice, so close to breaking with every wish, was enough to shatter his heart. He sounded so much like a little child right then. The dream was clearly influencing his perception. The young man he was during that day wouldn't have admitted all this, not this way at least.

"Was it because I'm a bad boy?" Robin continued, startling the man above him. Tears were starting to roll down his cheeks. "Does Bruce not want me anymore? Does he hate me? Did I do something wrong? Was it the pranks? Is it because I can't keep my mouth shut? I'll be good and stay quiet. Just don't… don't send me back to the orphanage. I really like Bruce. I just… I just wanna be with him more. I miss him all the time. I don't want him to hate me. I'll be good, I swear. Just… just don't leave me Bruce. Don't leave…."

He sobbed, burying his head into Superman's arm. "Don't leave me alone. Let me stay with you Bruce. Don't hate me."

Clark couldn't take it. This boy's nightmare had taken complete control of his mind. He was beginning to think he was Batman. He held the kid a little closer, crooning. "It's alright Robin. Bruce doesn't hate you. He loves you very much. He wouldn't send you away. No one can hate you. You're a very good boy. Faithful and brave, full of joy, you're a light in a dreary world."

Robin looked up to him, hopeful. "Really?"

Superman nodded, looking down on him with a kind smile. "Really. I just… I just wish you picked a safer profession."

The kid gave a weak yet warm smile and settled back into his arms. "Nothing's safer than being with Batman and the League."

The man of steel gave a weak chuckle. The kid had him there. Robin seemed to settle in his grasp, calming down enough to start drifting back to sleep. But he still had a few more words to say.

"I miss Bruce."

* * *

><p>The kid's words stayed with Clark the rest of the night, pressing him to call Batman once again. It took three tries before the dark knight finally picked up. "What?<p>

"Bruce you really need to visit the mountain before Robin goes to bed tomorrow night," Superman insisted.

Batman gave an exasperated sigh. "I thought we had this taken care of."

"He's still here Bruce," he glared through the monitor, having made contact through the computers, "and he may be here for the long haul. He needs you. He needs his father."

"We've been through this. I'm not his father," the Bat insisted on the other end, just as frustrated as before. "I'm not his Batman."

"Regardless," Superman insisted, "he needs to see you. Just for a psychological effect if nothing else. He needs to know you're still around, that you care a little. Just come by and talk to him for a few minutes. That's all I'm asking."

The man on the other end paused, considering his words. "What brought this up?"

He took a deep breath before answering. "Robin's been having more and more nightmares every night since you last saw him. I think they get worse from not knowing how you are. Remember when you—"

"Fine," he cut the alien off irritably. "Wanted to ask him what Sportsmaster was trying to take anyway. Cheshire working with him suggests Shadows, but working two times together in six months is unusual. Sources say she hates him."

"Sportsmas… Wait a minute," Superman wondered out loud, "are you talking about his trip outside Monday?"

"Of course."

"We haven't even gotten around to making a report on that! How do you know anything—"

"I found the fight on the surrounding security cameras. Kid's a damn good fighter." Batman was typing on his computer, a small smirk on his face. "Clever trick with the cape too. I'll have to remember it. The flares were a bit dramatic, but he is a circus kid."

Superman started massaging his forehead. "Let me get this straight. You have no problem with Robin hacking your systems, leaving the cave, endangering Zatanna's life, and taking on half a dozen criminals?"

"I knew about his exit code when he set it up," the dark knight informed him. "Clever kid nearly got away with it. It's always a good idea to have an emergency exit strategy. Didn't expect him to use it unless the cave was under attack. Doesn't exactly have any where else to go. I attached an alarm to my computer and put a tracker in his suit should he use it."

Batman's logic was sound, making Superman rethink current events. The man continued. "Zatanna was his backup and he made certain she was out of harm's way. He wouldn't have taken her if he wasn't sure he could cover them both, and he wouldn't have left if she hadn't pressured him.

"As for taking down criminals," he sent the security footage straight to the monitors Superman was watching. "I believe his actions speak for themselves. He's quite capable of the job."

The man of steel stared speechless at the screen. Batman rolled his shoulders for a moment, slightly agitated but it didn't register in the alien's mind. "Are you actually… approving of his actions?"

"Never said he couldn't be a hero Clark."

"But you said you couldn't take a kid in." The man of steel interjected. "End of discussion."

"I can't," Batman repeated, a solemn look on his face. "I will never drag anyone into this world if I can help it.

"But if they jump in on their own, I'll watch their backs. If I had trained a partner, I'd have taught him to do exactly this."

Superman could detect a measure of pride in the man's voice, enough to let him know he was beginning to approve of this Robin and his antics. Frankly, the Boy Scout was beginning to accept Robin as a hero as well. But seeing him in such a fragile state earlier, he couldn't help but wonder what this was doing to the kid's mind. Robin might end up losing it before he turned twenty, that's if he lived that long.

The man shook his head. "You're crazy, you realize that?"

"Once in a while." Batman returned to typing on one of his keyboards. "Now quit bugging me. I have to update my Scarecrow and Joker files."

"Past few days been rough huh?"

"Be glad they weren't part of the Ice Gang's plot. You'd be dealing with laughing fits and panic attacks along with freeze victims." His aggravation was beginning to become more noticeable. The man needed rest.

"You'll be here tomorrow right?" Superman asked to reassure himself.

The knight nodded. "I'll be there."

He cut off the transmission, but despite his rudeness, Superman smiled. Bruce was going to visit Mount Justice for something other than League business or conspiracy theories. He was coming to reassure Robin he was still alive.

The last son of Krypton looked through the walls separating himself from Robin and saw the kid sleeping on his bed. He was exhausted, but still twitched in his sleep. He hadn't woken since his last nightmare, but no one could really call what he was experiencing now a good night's rest.

Tomorrow would be better. It had to be.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So, Dick has a bit of a breakdown, but he's half asleep and had a horrible nightmare. If I remember right from other people's stories and other small tidbits I got elsewhere (no expert here) one of dick's fears as a kid was being hated by Bruce and being sent back to the orphanage. I thought it'd be good to have him mentally return to a kiddy state and just spill everything out while not completely coherent. Also wanted to tug at everyone's heartstrings again. X3

And I like how Bats is starting to accept Robin, even from far away. He's realizing if he had a partner he'd train him to act like this. I always thought Bruce would keep track of his kids, even if they were on the other side of the planet. bet the Batman in the Teen Titans tv series world has lots of newspaper clippings and tv shorts on his robin in jump. *sqwee*


	23. Ch 23 Marvelous Sugar

**Disclaimer:** Did anyone else get a glitch here all day? oh well, don't matter. Didn't give me rights to young justice anyway. DC still owns them.

Um, the title should he warning enough. no bats in this chapter though. It does build up to the bat anyway. Please enjoy the crack chapter. I did.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 23 – Marvelous Sugar**

Dick hesitated leaving his room that morning. The one part of his dreams he could remember was with Superman comforting him while he spoke like a whiny little kid. It was so embarrassing he prayed it was a dream. But if experience told him anything, any part of a dream you remember clearly was either really weird or actually happened.

Why was it the things that were dreams you wish were real and the things that were real you wished were dreams?

Dick rubbed his head, groaning at himself. He did not want to face Clark that morning. After giving him the silent treatment all the previous day, the man ends up seeing him have a slight breakdown after a nightmare. No doubt he'd use it as leverage against him later. Well maybe not. Clark wasn't exactly vindictive. Wally or Ollie would have teased him forever about it. Hal would have joined in too. Bruce would just never talk about it again. Clark on the other hand might end up just trying to be friendlier than usual.

Uck. The last thing he needed was pity, and an overly friendly Superman got annoying after a while. As much as he liked him on a regular basis, when Clark put too much forward to make everything alright he tended to get cheesy. It was then Dick agreed with Bruce about the man being too cheerful. He tried to come up with some way to talk to the man of steel and convince him not to mention it again without losing any ground on the "child in the hero business" argument he felt he was having with every other Leaguer.

Once he had a Flash shirt on and grabbed his jacket, he felt he had something. Maybe being direct like Batman would help this time around. Direct and curt. He nodded to himself as he took the sunglasses out of his jacket pocket and put it on. He was ready to take on Superman.

He saw the man of steel talking to someone on the far end of the hall, reminding Robin he was getting yet another sitter for the day. He wondered who it'd be this time. He bet both Diana and Ollie were out because of the bad impression he left on them. He was quite sure Dinah would have told him if she was going to be watching him. John Stewart hadn't shown his face since that last meeting, and he hadn't seen either of the Hawks. He doubted any of the others were even options. So it had to be either John or one of the Hawks, right?

When he made it to the main hall, he stopped in the doorway, his jaw dropping.

"You have got to be kidding me." Robin gaped at his sitter for the day, then looked over to Superman in disbelief. The League had to be nuts.

Captain Marvel grinned from ear to ear before them, offering his hand to Robin excitedly. "Nice to meet you Robin! I've heard all about you from Flash and Green Lantern and Superman here! I'm Captain Marvel!"

"I know." Robin's disbelief at this turn of events only made him stare even more between the two superpowers of the League. Superman gave a nod of encouragement to Robin, who then finally gave him his hand. "I've met Captain Marvel in my world."

"That's so cool!" Marvel chirped in, excitedly shaking his hand like a little kid. "What's he like? Is he anything like me? Are you two friends there? 'Cause I thing we can be great friends! There's all these movies I got and games and food and toys, we're gonna have a blast!"

"Uh… yeah…" The teen tried to move along with the vigorous handshake to make sure his arm didn't snap off, but it was becoming quite difficult. "Can I have my hand back? I think it's going to break."

"Oh right sure!" The mighty mortal let go of Robin's hand, slightly embarrassed by his actions. "Sorry about that. Sometimes I forget about my own strength."

"Of Hercules, I know."

He gasped in surprise. "You know? Wow! You must be really close to your Captain Marvel! Is he anything like me?"

Robin looked up and down Marvel for a moment then smirked. "Exactly like you if I know right."

"Hotdog!" The man nearly jumped into the air at the thought. "The wizard was right! Some worlds are so close together there's really no difference!"

"Did the wizard also tell you how I can get home?" the teen asked quickly.

"Nope, but he did say not to lose hope. Everything will work out one way or another." Robin's spirits didn't lift at this statement in the slightest. He was hoping Shazam would have something enlightening to say about his predicament. Marvel settled in front of him again, floating slightly in excitement. "Hey hey! What do you wanna do first? I've got games and movies and—"

"I'll settle for breakfast first," Robin insisted, holding up a hand. "There's still some cereal in the cupboards and other things. If you want to pick a movie while we eat, go on ahead. I've got to ask Superman something real quick."

"Sweet! Okay! See ya in a minute!" With that Captain Marvel flew off into the kitchen like an excited child.

Instantly Robin turned to Superman, disbelief covering his face. "Are you serious? Captain Marvel?"

"He's a really great guy," the man of steel insisted, amused at Robin's objection. Didn't he like Marvel? "And after Flash told him about you, he's been asking to come visit."

"But this is Captain Marvel we're talking about." He tried to keep himself under control, especially at how funny this scenario was. "He's not exactly…"

"Relax. A couple other Leaguers reported they'd be coming by through the day too." Superman gave a knowing smirk. "I'm sure Marvel's perfectly capable of keeping tabs on you throughout the day, so long as you behave."

Realization came to Robin's mind, making him force back a smile and a laugh as he asked, "Do you even know who Captain Marvel is?"

Superman raised an eyebrow. "No, but he doesn't know who I am or the rest of the League either. So does it matter?"

Now it was near impossible to completely hide Robin's smile. "Nope. I'm going to go eat now. Have fun at the Planet Clark. Kiss Lois on the cheek for me."

Quickly before the man of steel could put two and two together, Robin towards the kitchen, then stopped as he remembered something important. He spun back around at the entryway, facing the man. "Oh, and last night never happened, got it?"

The alien nodded, letting the boy grin and get back to running towards what promised to be an interesting day. He knew Superman was watching him for a minute before going through the tubes to Metropolis, but even he couldn't see how far his smile spread or read minds. The teen took one of the other bowls and filled it with sweet sugary goodness just in time to see Marvel take out a Disney movie.

"How about Robin Hood!" he asked excitedly. "That's where you got your name right?"

Robin laughed, glad he was just as innocent as he remembered him. "Nope. Got it from my mom. She always called me her robin. But I did grow up watching the show a lot."

"So..." the man gave a small pout, "is it no good?"

The teen waited until the zeta-tube finished shutting down before answering. "It's fine. Hey, is it true the League doesn't know who you are or anything?"

Marvel shifted uncomfortably. "What's there to know? I'm the world's mightiest mortal and I gained my abilities from the wizard."

"Via lightning bolt." Robin smirked at the caught look on the leaguer's face. He raised a hand in his defense. "Don't worry. I won't blab. It's just really funny is all. How'd you get out of school today anyway?"

The boy inside Marvel grinned impishly as he put the DVD in. "I had Uncle Dudley call in sick for me. I really wanted to meet you sooner, but I had homework. All caught up now."

"When you go back tomorrow it's going to be rough," the boy wonder reminded him. "I was in your shoes not that long ago."

"I know." Marvel grabbed the remotes and floated over to his waiting bowl of cereal as they waited for the movie to start up. "But they said you might not be here long and I really wanted to know what it was like growing up doing all of this, especially with no powers. And Flash said you grew up in a _circus_! I've never even been to a circus! What's it like? Did you runaway to it? What'd you do there? I bet it was fun! It was fun right?"

Robin laughed, amused for so many reasons. Captain Marvel's string of questions were very similar to the first time they were able to talk one on one. No one could really hate the guy, but he was pretty easy to get to do whatever you wanted him to. Which led to what was really amusing in the teen's mind.

A fifth grader was supposed to baby-sit a high school freshman. And it looked like no one in the league was the wiser about it. '_Oh yeah, this is going to be fun._'

* * *

><p>Hal was the first real adult Leaguer to make it to the cave, arriving around four in the afternoon. What he saw within seconds on entering floored him.<p>

"Ha ha! You totally botched that one!"

"That's not fair!" Marvel shouted back. "It's way too fast for me!"

"Nah, you just don't practice enough!" Robin leapt into the air and landed his hands on the arrows beneath him. On the holosceen rhythmic arrows flew upward into slots and music in perfect time with the display filling the whole cave. Candy wrappers littered the floor, along with empty soda cans, several boxes of cookies, and splotches of what looked like paint. Both the people playing their version of DDR had paint on their hands and chocolate smudges on their faces, Marvel more than Robin, but only by a little.

Marvel pouted childishly as he tried to make another move on the screen. "I can't go to the arcade every day! I'm poor!"

"Try hopscotch then!" Robin grinned impishly. He landed combo after combo after combo, adding acrobatic flares to them whenever he could. "Or twister on steroids! Play it with Flash! He'll get you good at this in no time!"

COMPLETE the game roared. Both stopped their jumping around to see their scores.

"Please be a B, please be a B!" Marvel pleaded. Robin grinned knowingly. Quickly both their scores rolled to a stop before them. Marvel's shoulders drooped dramatically in disperse. "D! I got a D! Again!"

"Ha ha ha!" Robin cackled evilly. He had triple A's. "Sucks to be you!"

"That's so mean!" The mighty mortal griped at the teen. "I demand a rematch!"

"Demand as many as you like!" The teen rebutted, still grinning. "Doesn't mean you'll win!"

"What are you two doing?" Hal interjected. Both the players turned towards the pilot, surprised to see him there. It didn't last long though.

Robin grinned even more impishly than before. "Beating each other's butt in different games. He's pretty good at pin pong and air hockey, but royally sucks at DDR and Guitar Hero."

"And when did we get these games?" He tried to not sound impressed.

"A few hours ago. Movies got boring."

"Green Lantern! He's being mean!" Marvel whined, pointing to Robin.

"Um…"

"Am not!" Robin retorted. "You're just upset 'cause I keep winning!"

"Uh… guys…"

"Then Green Lantern's on my team!" Hal jerked in surprise as the mighty mortal flew over and grabbed his arm, pulling him to the projection floor before the screens.

"What the!" Without a single say in the matter, the pilot was placed between the two, unable to think of a way out of this.

"You don't have teams in DDR!" the boy wonder insisted.

"He's right you know," Hal tried, hoping it'd get him out of this.

"I don't care!" Marvel shouted, balling his fists in a near tantrum. "We'll beat you somehow! I'm not quitting until I beat you!"

"That's a little—"

"Fine!" Robin shouted, exasperated. He tapped a few keys on a pad floating near him and a new set of arrows appeared beneath Hal. He put in a new song, readying the system to play once more. "We can add up your scores after it's done and count that as one team score. But if someone else joins in, they're on my team."

"YAY!"

"HOLD ON A MINUTE!" Hal finally got the two's attention, not quite believing what he was seeing here. Both blinked at him in identical innocent ways. He took one more look around the room before asking what he should have already known. "How much sugar have you two eaten?"

"Ummmm…." Marvel looked away guiltily, licking the corner of his mouth where a glob of chocolate still rested.

Robin just grinned, maybe looking away. Couldn't tell with those shades. "We didn't eat it straight up. To the game!"

"Oh no you—" Before he could have a say in what happened next, 'Butterfly' started playing and the arrows started to fly. Both boys were already dancing away, attention entirely focused on the game.

"Come on GL!" Marvel encouraged. "We're losing!"

Quickly Hal attempted to follow the arrows with his feet while tapping his communicator to call in backup, or at least a camera. "Flash, get to the mountain asap."

"Why?" Flash responded immediately, curiosity taking over precautions. "Did something happen to Robin?"

"Ummm… You've just got to see this. I don't think I can—"

"HAHA!" Robin shouted gleefully as he perfected another combo while the other two messed up their steps. "Take that!"

"—handle this alone. Bring a camera."

"What?" His best friend on the other end was becoming more and more confused with every cryptic phrase.

"You'll see." Hal didn't want to ruin the surprise for the speedster, and frankly if he talked any longer he'd keep missing steps. There was no way he was going to let Robin keep winning.

It took two more songs before the Zeta-tube lit up again and Flash appeared. This time both boys took notice of it before Hal did and spotted Flash. The speedster took one quick look around the room before a scowl started appearing on his face. Instantly the two sugar high heroes pointed to Hal between them and shouted.

"HE DID IT!"

Before either adult could stop them or question what the 'it' was, the two bolted in opposite directions as fast as they could. Robin vanished into the ventilation while Marvel just flew off deep into the cave. Hal gaped as he turned his head around every which way in shock. Flash seemed to figure something out and pinched his brow in frustration.

"What just happened?" the pilot asked, completely confused.

"You've just been had Hal." The speedster looked around the room and spotted the drops of paint. "Did you take a look around and see what they painted yet?"

Hal looked away, embarrassedly thumbing over to the screen. "They kinda dragged me into the game as soon as I got here."

"Oh boy did they play you." Not thinking another second, Flash dashed around the cave, doing a quick search. It didn't take long and soon Hal heard him shout for him from the common area. He was there within minutes and stopped still in the doorway, gaping at the sight.

"Oh no they didn't." Both of them bit back laughs as they looked around every which way. Nearly every surface in the room was painted a different color, and very badly at that. It looked like someone had used their hands to paint everything. Remains of candy wrappers clung to the wall because of the stuff. The only good parts of the new paint job were the Leaguer's crests put around the room at random. A large red lightning bolt was on the ceiling.

"Oh they sure did." Flash shook his head, trying very very hard not to laugh at what the two did. "I can't believe they… Where did they find all that sugar?"

"Where did they find the paint?" GL looked around for his own crest and found it on one of the cupboard doors. Unfortunately it was yellow. Both adults shook their heads in exasperation. The majority of the League would be furious.

"We better get them so they can clean it up." Flash turned back to the main hall, turning off the game and bringing up an internal mountain search. "You grab Marvel while I get Robin."

"How are you going to find that kid?" Hal wondered out loud. "I mean, Batman trained him right? He could be anywhere."

"I sprayed the kid's sunglasses with a safe, rare isotope. Just as a way to search for him if he disappeared on us." The speedster gave his friend a grin. "Don't worry, I've handled a hyper teen before. Getting those two to clean up will be a cake walk compared to explaining what happened to Superman or Batman."

The space cop snickered before taking off to find Captain Marvel. Oh yeah, this was beyond hysterical. He just had to stick around until Supes came tonight and tell him the whole story. Sugar, video games, paint, one mighty mortal and one teenager. That was indeed the makings of trouble.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** yes, pure crack. one should never leave captain marvel alone with Dick and give them sugar. I'm pretty sure the boy wonder would unlock the kid in him again and again, and then we'd have trouble. I've established in another story that Dick knows who marvel is, and his true age, so I thought it'd be funny if no one in the League here knew. And my reasoning for why he was allowed to watch the team in the show is simple: he was there for the psychological effect. SO long as the team had an "adult" supervisor, they're more likely to behave. Over all they aren't bad kids. Still, one ten year old watching over a pack of teenagers... hilarious.

I added the painting prank because of other fanfics I've read. It sounded like a dick thing to do. Along with downloading DDR and guitar hero to the league's computer for them to play. Then there's the classic "blame Hal" bit. Had to do it. Sugar high kids are a blast. I remember being one of them. =D


	24. Ch 24 Fear of the Bat

**Disclaimer:** the dog is howling at me because of a delusion some people have. She's saying I don't own young justice. DC does. And here I thought she was a dumb dog who licked pants. XP

Okay, now that i've rotted your teeth out with captain marvel, time to throw you for another loop! I'm getting close to finishing this story on my own (note, still ahead in typing here) but the important thing is that I'll have to go back to typing up 'Where's Robin?' soon. Been focusing on this one a lot. Can you tell? =D Well, enjoy!

Little FYI, I clean for a living. I know exactly what Robin's going through in the first part of the story.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 24 – Fear of the Bat**

Scrubbing off all the paint he and Captain Marvel wasted wouldn't have been so bad if he had a good cleaner, a paint scraper, and a few hundred rags. It just took forever because Marvel had to go home early and the sugar rush wore off. Really, when was Robin ever going to learn? Sugar buzzes resulted in really bad headaches. It used to be stomachaches, but as he got older, it was always killer headaches.

Course Flash didn't make him take care of the paint first. The first thing he had Robin do was remove the games he added to the League's computer, then clean up the main hall. That took half an hour thankfully. Marvel took care of most of the cleaning while he fixed the computer glitches he made. Getting rid of the painting evidence from that room was to buy them time should anyone else pop up.

Once the two had started working on the common area, Flash left to take care of a case in Central. Robin was so preoccupied by everything else around him at that moment, he forgot to ask Flash how things were going. It was about another hour after the speedster left that he remembered. "AH MAN! I forgot to ask him about Wally!"

"That's what you get for eating too many sweets," Hal jibbed from the couch. He stuck around to make sure they cleaned the place. Marvel was in charge of the ones he put on the ceiling while Robin started on the symbols around the kitchen. They both occasionally glared at the lazy lantern lounging on the couch as they worked. He was blocking their exits with his ring. There was no escape this time.

"We get it, we get it," Marvel muttered. When he finally had the ceiling scrubbed free, GL let him rush home for a prearranged event.

Then the lantern looked over to Robin, still scrubbing a wall free from Superman's shield (though it was red painted on black for his own amusement). "I've got monitor duty until Supes comes in. Finish up in here and make it look good, or I'll tell Batman and let him pick your punishment."

"Isn't this punishment enough?" The boy wonder whined. His hands had paint in every crevice available, and they were starting to wrinkle from going in and out of the bucket so much. He really should have been wearing gloves.

"Nope!" the pilot grinned. "This is just the natural consequences of your actions. I'm thinking we should take away some of your privileges."

Robin groaned. "What privileges? Not like I can do much around here anyway."

"Oh? How about access to the gym?"

The boy froze for a moment, then looked over his shoulder at the man exasperated. "You have got to be kidding."

Hal shook his head, still smirking. "Nope. See that you get everything done here. Get something healthy in your stomach, then I want you to get to bed. No more late nights for you bird boy."

Robin rolled his eyes and went back to his work. "Roger that, flashlight."

He ran a hand roughly through the kid's hair before leaving him to work. Robin shook his head with a slight smirk. At least he didn't call him boy blunder. After getting caught so easily by Barry, that should have been his name.

Course then again, both Alfred and Bruce repeatedly told him to stop eating so much sugar. It still didn't take much to set him on a sugar high, but Marvel found so many good things! He hadn't even tried half those goodies before. No one would let him. When else was he going to get this chance?

And it was the League's fault for putting paint in the kitchen cupboards. They found them when they were looking for trash bags earlier. Who even put them there? And where were the paintbrushes?

It was nearing eight when he finally set the scrub brush down, rubbing his shoulders in relief. Everything was cleaned off and looking like new. Even Alfred would be impressed with the end results. "Finally."

Robin's stomach grumbled loudly, making him cringe. Sugar in candy and the like tended to make people hungrier later. He hadn't eaten a thing since he started playing Guitar Hero around two. Normally it didn't bother him, but this time hunger hit him hard.

"Alfred wins again." Robin picked up his bucket and dumped its contents into the sink before leaving it upturned in it to dry for a bit. He immediately turned to the fridge and fished out what he could to make a larger sandwich than usual, hoping it'd balance out what was left of the sugar in his system so his nightmare that night didn't turn into one of his Scarecrow hallucinations. Just as he was taking a bite into his dinner, he heard the zeta-tube activate. He let out a slow breath, glad now they had the entryway cleared up first.

Curiosity got the better of him, so the boy wonder slipped out of the kitchen and made his way towards the main hall to see who arrived. His eyes widened a fraction before he pulled back out of sight and bolted back to the common area. Batman was there. Batman was there! He hadn't seen him since Saturday night and now there he was talking to Hal. Was he there because he learned a way to get Robin home? Or was he there because Hal called him and told him about the paint job?

A small swarm of panic filled him as he stuffed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth and started searching the whole room for any traces of the mess he made that day. The last thing Robin needed was Batman to be mad at him. Quickly he found a towel and rubbed down the bucket he was using earlier before tucking it and the other cleaning materials away under the kitchen sink. He grabbed a wet rag and wiped down every countertop and surface he could find for good measure before going to the entertainment center and looking it over for any trace amounts of paint. Instead he found dust and proceeded to dust the entire room. He raced around the place, straightening stacks and fluffing pillows as quickly as he could. He threw away a few more pieces of trash he managed to find before taking another look around the room and not finding a single thing wrong with it.

But knowing Batman he'd be able to find something wrong.

Robin bit his lip and silently started to pray the man wasn't going to find one drop of paint or dirt to warrant making him clean the whole cave top to bottom. Bruce would have him do things like that as punishments for his pranks or antics, and frankly it didn't help the kid like cleaning even a little. Sure he appreciated Alfred more and more each time, but the guy was a pro at cleaning. He did it in his sleep!

And Bruce had forty-seven cars! Counting the Batmobiles! He counted once. He cleaned and waxed them all at least three times. Then there were the motorcycles.

The boy wonder took in a deep breath and headed out towards the main hall. No point in delaying the inevitable after all. Either he was going to pass the cleaning inspection or he was going to fail. One way or another, thinking it over and over again until it became too much wasn't a good idea.

As he came closer to the main hall, he heard shouting and some shuffling around. His curiosity perked, Robin hurried along to the source and stopped in the doorway to see what was happening. He blinked in surprise. Batman and Hal Jordon were in the midst of a fist fight. For some reason the pilot wasn't in uniform, puzzling the teen. '_Okay, so he's not here because of my latest prank._'

"Are you guys—" Robin started but his question was answered as Hal managed to break away from Batman for a moment to tap his communicator.

"GL to Superman! Bat's gone crazy! Backup NOW!" The test pilot dove to the side, barely dodging another tackle from the dark knight. Batman threw a kick wildly into Hal's stomach, throwing the man about two feet back. Not letting the man recover, the Bat charged forward, howling almost rabidly as he attacked once more.

For a brief moment Robin watched horrified. He'd seen Batman like that once before, and knew how the man struggled to control himself when he became like that. Bruce barely managed to take his hands off Dick's throat before he choked him to death. There was only one reason for it.

Determination swelled in him as Robin charged forward at his mentor's back, leaping on top of the man and reaching around his neck to haul him into a headlock. "Batman knock it off! He's not your enemy! He's—"

The Bat's stronger elbow threw itself into Robin's side, throwing the kid off of him and bruising a few ribs.

"Robin!" Hal called out, but was quickly punched in the jaw, making talking difficult as he spun to the ground.

The boy easily let go of the man and rolled with the blow, deliberately falling to the ground to soften the impact out of reflex. He shook his head to clear it, his sunglasses having fallen off and shattering from the blow, before getting back up for another charge. Hal was decent fighter against Robin in a sparing match, but the Hal from back home wasn't yet as good a hand to hand fighter as Bruce. His only chance at surviving an enraged, almost rabid Batman was if Dick found a way to get the guy off of him.

Quickly he dashed around to Batman's left side and threw himself around the man's waist. The dark knight yowled, thrusting his elbow into the boy's back to get him off. Dick took the blow, rolling away when he hit the ground, but it wasn't the only thing he took. Hal tried to block the next set of blows, twisting the man above him's fists whenever he could, but found it difficult. Batman trained his entire life to do exactly this after all.

Dick saw the frustration in the pilot's eyes, and knew if he didn't work fast, it'd become horror. He twisted the elongated capsule he swiped from the man's belt, allowing an inch long needle to appear from one end and a button from the other. Before Batman could crack Hal's head wide open, Dick pounced onto his back again and jammed the needle into the neck of his cowl, injecting its contents into the man's body.

Batman roared, letting go of Jordon and using both hands to reach behind him to grab the boy on his back. With all his strength, he threw the kid over his head to the far side of the room. Dick easily twisted the throw into a flip, landing neatly and giving the Bat a hard determined look. The fight was over. All that was left was the finale.

The dark knight ripped the injector out of his neck and looked at it in an animal like way before glaring back at the kid, trying to make some kind of growling noise. But almost exactly like an animal, he started to sway as he tried to get up and charge at Dick. The man made it past Hal's nearly beaten form before passing out from the drug. The boy let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Batman was down and out.

"Hal!" Dick ran to the pilot's side, checking him over. "You conscious?"

"Somehow," Hal admitted after a moment. His jaw was already swelling and his face was going to be covered in bruises. Neither of them would be surprised if he'd need to go to a dentist after this either. Looking over the man, Dick saw yellow paint covering Hal's ring and right hand in general. More than likely the man had a few cracked ribs and it looked like his right arm was dislocated as well. There were marks on his throat too. The only noticeable bleeding Dick could find was from the man's nose and mouth, both easily taken care of.

"Geh, looks nasty," the boy admitted as he helped Hal raise his good arm to pinch his nose, "but you'll live. Just don't expect any new dates for a few weeks."

"A regular comedian aren't ya?" He groaned, trying to get up but failed miserably, especially since Dick was pressing him back down.

"Stay down! We don't know if you've got a concussion or not." The boy's determined glare reminded the lantern the kid was experienced in surviving these kinds of fights, especially with the Bat. Once he remained settled, Dick started scrubbing off the yellow paint on his ring. "Paint pellets…"

"What did you do to him?" Hal turned his head slightly to look over to Batman, unable to believe the kid took the guy down like that.

"Antitoxin sedative. One of Bruce's concoctions." He continued to doggedly scrub off the paint, wiping off chips with his sleeve. "We have one on each of our belts and gave one to Gordon back home. It's in case something Joker or Scarecrow or even Poison Ivy makes takes over our reason. Like right now."

Dick could see it clicking in Hal's head as he finished cleaning the ring off. "You mean, you've seen this—"

_Recognized – Superman 01_

The man of steel flew straight through the light to their side in a panic. "What happened? Where's Batman? What did he—"

Dick pointed to the black jumble on the floor. "He's over there, sleeping like a baby."

Superman jerked his gaze over to Batman's passed out form, his eyes widening in surprise. "Wha—"

"Apparently whoever he fought this week's concoction hadn't left his system yet," the boy concluded. "I had to put him down."

The man jerked his gaze back to Dick's face, shocked beyond words. "You…"

"If you don't mind," Hal interrupted, "I'm the victim here. Help me get to the med wing Big Blue."

"Oh, right." Superman slipped his arm under the pilot's back and helped him slowly to his feet, looking him over at the same time. Dick knew it was more than just a casual probe too. Clark was always using his xray vision to make sure Bruce wasn't fibbing about his physical condition. "Good thing you stayed down. You nearly punctured a lung."

"I was more worried about brain injury," Dick muttered lowly, taking to his feet as well. He looked over to Batman on the floor, watching his still form while remembering his enraged state a few minutes ago. He felt the alien's scan more than saw it, taking a deep breath to avoid objecting. "I didn't get hurt that badly."

"Say that to your ribs!" The man of steel objected. "And that bruise on your shoulder's only getting worse!"

"I'll join you in medical when you come back for Batman," the boy promised, his eyes not leaving his mentor's double. "Someone should be here in case he wakes."

Hal jerked his head around in alarm. "I thought you said it was a sedative!"

"My Batman's been working on becoming immune to sedatives," Dick explained. "I don't know how far along this one is. Go, I know what I'm doing."

To end the argument, he went back to Batman's side and knelt beside him, slipping off the man's belt and searching his gloves before the two men started making their way to medical. Once they were out of earshot, Dick glanced once to where they exited, then back to Batman. A touch of sadness filled his eyes as he watched the man slumber.

"What did you get yourself into this time?" he whispered. Homesickness and worry then returned to his face. "And what's happening to my Batman without me there?"

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><p><strong>AN:** heh, promised you a new twist didn't I? Didn't think it'd be a good idea to just make it easy on them. First robin think's he's in trouble because of the paint job and does a rushed cleaning (who hasn't done that?) then realizes the two aren't sparing and takes down batman. There's a hundred very good reasons for there to be a robin at his side, one of them being to keep him from going rabid. This is one time everyone sees what a robin's useful for.

Yeah I don't know if Bats has that kind of concoction, but here he does! he really should have one too, just in case. and it would be one thing on both their belts they'd know about. Give one to Gordon too, just in case. Me paranoid. That's why Bats is so easy to write.


	25. Ch 25 Waking from Knightmares

**Disclaimer: **there are many glitches in the world. Unfortunately the fact that I don't own young justice isn't one of them.

Can anyone explain why it's sometimes so difficult to get on this site to update? I mean seriously! This is like the second time this past week I've gone the whole day trying and failing to get into my account. D=(

So anyway, good news! Finished typing up this story on my own! Still going to pause this one in the near future though so I can have 'Where's Robin?' catch up though. That one may take a bit longer to update than this one too due to the fact I've been slowing down in my writing in general. But, when that one's done, so will this one. Then I'll focus entirely on 'Slade Plan B'. After that... well I'm not done with my ideas for Robin and the like quite yet.

Without further ado, the next chapter!

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 25 – Waking From Knightmares**

Bruce didn't have any distinct memories beyond making a blow to Hal's face about fifteen minutes after making it to the mountain. Everything was in bits and pieces in his mind. He remembered something light tackling him, then later a sharp somewhat familiar pain coming through the weakest part of his armor. Then black. He remembered struggling against some bindings, hands, and a few voices telling him to calm down. There were a lot of lights and beeping, then someone screamed "SETTLE DOWN OR I'M CALLING ALFRED! THEY'RE TRYING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE BRUCE!" He recalled starting to hold still, then another sharp pain before black again.

His internal clock told him it was around three am when he really woke up and could think clearly. Scarecrow's last gas, he thought when it hit him the immediate effects were all he was going to deal with. Most times all you had to do was get some rest and you were fine the next morning. This one must have had hidden time release effects, making him lose his mind if he became too agitated. What triggered it? What did Hal…

Vaguely he recalled the pilot teasing him, caught between laughing at an inside joke and revealing a secret. He kept taunting him, over and over again. It had something to do with Robin. He just wanted the stupid flashlight to either tell him or not; going back and forth between the two options was juvenile. No wonder he lost his temper with the man.

As he opened his eyes, Bruce realized he wasn't wearing his mask, nor the top half of his uniform. IV drips and sensors were attached to his arms and chest, connecting him to the machines next to him. He recognized the room as the medical wing, specifically the bed on the north side closest to the far wall judging from the ceiling pattern above him. He was still strapped down, very well he might add. Not impossible to escape, but only if his mind was calm. Only a sane person could leave his situation without notifying others of his departure.

Slowly he did a bodily assessment, focusing on his physical symptoms. His four cracked ribs from last week were sore again; someone must have tackled his side. Tightness around his neck, someone had put him in a headlock. His knuckles on both hands ached; he had hit several hard things repeatedly. An ache just left of his diaphragm; the recent removal of Joker's bullet of that week hadn't finished closing. Hopefully someone repaired his stitches. A very slight prickling ache came from a blood vessel on his neck, right where a weak point in his cowl was. Someone with knowledge of his armor had injected him with something. The first sedative?

Who would even have that knowledge? Who had the information necessary to knock him out like this? It had to be someone skilled, someone close to him, someone who had access to just his cowl at one point. That narrowed the list considerably. Hal certainly wasn't on that list.

Hal.

Bruce's heart rate jumped as he jerked his head to the side to see if he could spot the Lantern, certain the man did not make it out of that fight without injury. Instead he saw a lightly dozing boy sitting in the chair beside him, a thick book dangling open in his lap. Beyond Dick was a drawn curtain, blocking his view of the majority of the room.

His heart almost stopped when he saw the boy. Why? Why was this kid sitting at his side, waiting for him to wake up? Shouldn't he be the most afraid of the rabid bat? Afraid the image of his mentor would shatter seeing him in this state? Disappointed he was so easily changed into a ferial animal? Enraged he attacked a teammate, maybe even…

Bruce closed his eyes in pain for a moment. This boy really shouldn't be at his side. He wasn't his Batman. The two of them should be strangers, unable to relate to each other at all. But here the kid was. By some impossible act of God, Dick was sitting at his bedside, just waiting for Batman to wake up.

What did his Batman do to gain such undying loyalty from this boy? Certainly the kid had better role models to choose from. He pictured himself a horrible mentor, one who'd push his student too far over the edge to mold him into an unyielding soldier. He knew he'd be a horrid father; he'd disappear at odd hours through the week only to reappear battered and bruised and too tired to care for his child. What kind of life could he offer a boy?

As these thoughts plagued his mind, the beeping above him varied. The change in the sounds alerted Dick, jerking him awake, sniffing slightly. He looked straight to Bruce's face, his blue eyes widening a fraction when they met the man's grays. He seemed to swallow something down before speaking. "Good morning. Welcome back to the land of the living."

Bruce blinked. "Did I die?"

The boy smirked. "No, but everyone else thought you would. Your heart rate nearly matched Flash's on a normal day for a while. Good for speedsters, bad for everyone else. Who were you fighting? Joker, Scarecrow, or Poison Ivy? I've got bets on Scarecrow. Joker would have made you laugh and Ivy would make you green."

"Go collect your reward then," the man muttered, turning his gaze upward again. He tried not to think so hard. His head was killing him. "How long was I out?"

"Out of it or unconscious?" Dick took a quick look around the room, probably for a clock

"Of it."

"It was around 8:20 when you went nuts and its… 3:09 now. So about seven hours. Your restraints are just in case J'onn's cure didn't take." The boy found a piece of paper lying about and shoved it in his book to keep his place. Bruce glanced at it from the corner of his eye. _Great Expectations_. Funny.

"I'm fine," Bruce insisted.

Dick gave a short disbelieving laugh in response. "Humor him. Stay there until they get back with the test results. Think anyone else in Gotham was infected?"

The man slowly shook his head as the boy started stretching out his arms and back. "Well that's good, but we better make extras just in case. This stuff attacked the primal sections of your brain and fed off of adrenalin from rage. There was also something in it making it easier for people to get angry. It basically makes walking-berserker-time-bombs. All it'd take is a persistent irritant and boom, everyone in the room beaten black and blue. Glad no one was singing.

"Hal's fine by the way," Dick interjected, having finally gotten all his kinks out. "What's a few ribs, a pretty face, a few teeth, a shoulder and a stomach anyway? He's resting in his room right now."

"Did you take me down?"

The boy froze for a moment, then slowly nodded, a slightly guilty look on his face. Bruce sighed heavily, pieces starting to fall into place. Of course this kid would know where the weak points in his uniform were. He probably used the antitoxin sedative to do it too. It was likely he had to do this before, to his Batman. Being Batman's partner would mean knowing how to stop him when necessary.

"Sorry."

The man jerked his gaze back to the boy, looking at his feet in shame of what he did. Bruce blinked in surprise. He was apologizing? "Why? You did what you had to."

"I know," Dick answered, still not meeting his eyes, "but still… Sorry."

He watched the kid for a moment, then looked up and down him, assessing his situation. There was a light trace of a bruise around his neck, but it was a couple days old. One of his shoulders seemed a little stiff and he supported one side more than the other. No visible bandage lumps under the kid's clothes, but there wasn't a chance the boy managed to take down Batman without sustaining some kind of injury.

"How extensive are your injuries?"

At this Dick shifted and looked away uncomfortably, even more so than before. "Not bad. A few bruises. Nothing I haven't had before. Would have had less if I thought of the sedative first."

"Shoulder and ribs."

'Caught' was clearly written across his face, then Dick pouted childishly as he retorted. "I hate it when you do that. And for your information, you only made my shoulder worse. I already had a bruise there from Sportsmaster, then Superman decided to grab it when I got back. It's not that bad."

"You should get them looked at," Bruce concluded.

The kid huffed, not looking at him still. "Clark already did. Nothing's broken and they aren't that bad, so what can they do? I found some pain killers after you actually settled down, but that's about all anyone could do."

"You get hurt often." It was a statement, not a question.

He nodded. "Comes with the territory. Plus I'm a bit of a daredevil. I get hurt just having fun."

Bruce grunted. Circus kid, born acrobat, raised vigilante. Of course he'd have injuries ever other day. He doubted the boy went a week without some part of his body being oddly colored. He looked over the kid again, noting now small yet muscular the boy was. This child, probably no more than a hundred pounds, took him down when a man at least twice his size and age couldn't. And all he had was a few bruises. Incredible.

"Reckless." He looked towards the ceiling as he concentrated on getting out of his bonds. His nose was starting to itch. He heard a short muffled laugh as he turned one wrist towards the edge of the belt keeping him down.

"Yeah, guess I am," Dick agreed. There was a slightly endearing tone to his voice, giving Bruce reason to pause. The first part of the belt was out of its loop, now to loosen it out of its clasp. "Should I time you?"

The dark knight cast an annoyed glare the kid, who finally looked him in the eye, a touch of amusement on his face. Dick knew exactly what Bruce was doing, and he wasn't going to try to stop him. Rather it looked like he just wanted to watch the show.

"Why are you here?"

The boy looked like he was on the verge of laughing about something. "That's a rather philosophical question. Care to be a bit more specific?"

'_Walked right into that one_,' Bruce chided himself mentally. "Why are you sitting at my bedside right now? Why were you waiting for me to wake up?"

Dick blinked, his eyes widening a fraction in surprise. More than likely he was expecting a gruffer response, but Bruce didn't want to scare the kid any more than he already had. He had enough of them that night. He looked away a little, again unsure of himself.

"Um… I just… I figured you'd want answers right away and I didn't exactly have anything better to do…"

Bruce watched the boy shift uncomfortably, trying to find an answer. But the answer was becoming apparent with every excuse and shift in the boy's body. He was just worried about him. Dick only wanted to make sure Batman was alright, even if he wasn't the Batman he grew up with. He cared, it was as simple as that.

Tempted to let the boy fidget a little longer, Bruce recalled how late it was. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Ahhh….." Dick turned his head completely away, having no excuses to say. Oh yes, even his Batman didn't let him stay up past three am. The kid rubbed his head and tried to divert the question. "What's a bedtime? I don't sleep, I run off cookies."

"Nice try," he answered dryly. "Get some sleep kid."

The boy pouted again, glaring slightly at the man. "Only if you promise to be good and be here when I wake up. You're not in the best condition either you know, and the others are worried. I wasn't kidding when I said I'd call him you know."

"So that was you making the threat." Bruce smirked in spite of himself.

"Darn straight. You nearly pulled Clark's arm out if his socket!" He stood up from his chair, giving him a reproving glare. "I may have given him a rough time lately, but seriously, that hurts. And he was just trying to pin you down. You better give him a proper apology when he comes back."

"And you better get some rest before we both get in trouble," the man bantered back. They both looked into each other's eyes for a moment then smirked knowingly. There was some fondness in the kid's eyes, telling the detective he spoke often to his Batman this way and received the same response.

"Fine," Dick relented. He walked around the chair to the bed behind it and climbed on top, much to Bruce's surprise. The boy pulled off his shoes quickly, then laid on his side, facing the dark knight. There was a somewhat childlike tone to his voice when he repeated his condition. "Promise you'll stay here until I wake up okay?"

Bruce sighed, giving in. One hand restraint was already taken care of, but he had no intention of leaving the bed. "Fine. Just get some sleep Dick."

The boy smiled. "'Kay. Goodnight Bruce."

Within seconds the man heard the boy's soft breathing regulate, going peacefully to a dreamless sleep. Bruce watched him as he slowly finished undoing his bindings, wondering yet again how this boy's Batman had earned his undying trust. This boy's love. How had the man managed it?

He shook his head, hoping to clear it. He knew he did nothing to earn the concern or care from this child. Dick's emotions and mind were influenced by memories of his own Bruce Wayne who raised him and the sleep deprivation he gained from waiting so long for him to wake up. There was no logical reason for this boy to be attached to him. No sound reason for Bruce to grow any fondness for this boy.

But he had. Despite everything he told himself, despite putting as much distance between himself and this boy, he had.

Ever since that first night he heard the boy cry out in his sleep for Batman, he felt responsible for the boy. Maybe even before that, when he saw the child's eyes and knew he was Richard Grayson, a boy who died over five years ago. A boy he failed to save once.

Now he slept in the bed across from him, a hero from another world similar to their own. A hero who took on criminals without any fear, directed misguided people down correct paths, and valiantly held his ground against those stronger than him believing they were in the right. Robin was an unbelievably great kid, with a wonderful future ahead of him. He only wished he could see it.

And if he wanted to see it, he had no doubt his Batman wanted to see it too.

For a few minutes he thought on this. If in a few days, and fewer meetings, he had become fond of this child, how would his other self, having been with this child for five years, feel if this boy was ripped away from him? Remembering the pain he felt when his parents were killed, he could only imagine it was similar to that. He never wished that pain upon anyone.

He looked back to the sleeping child, seemingly unaware of the painful truth he and the League hadn't yet told him. Even if they found a method to transport him through dimensions, the likelihood of him going back to his original world was minimal at best. So many possibilities, so many ways things could go wrong. And the boy would be alone again, possibly in greater danger than he was when he suddenly arrived in their world.

Slowly Bruce pulled off the monitoring devices and slid out of the medical bed. He turned the chair between them around, pulling the IV drip over to its side before wrapping a blanket around his shoulders and sitting down. For a moment he pulled the boy's blankets up to his chin and allowed himself a smile when Dick snuggled even further into the bed as a result. Settling back into the chair, Bruce kept his eyes on the boy, running plans through his mind.

If they truly couldn't find a way to send the kid to his home, then he would take care of the boy. He'd do it for Dick's Batman's sake. He'd do it for the Grayson's sake. Most of all, he'd do this for Dick. He needed Batman, and he was the only one available.

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><p>AN: And with that happy note, we have DaddyBats coming out in full! i knew he was in this bruce somewhere. Just know that because of this subtle change in the man, Dick's behavior is going to change. Plus there's been a lot of things going on in the boy's head. jsut an FYI for the near future. The whole transferring people through dimensions kinda comes from Sliders (anyone else remember that show? best one out there when talking about multiple universes). it really is dangerous for someone to go from one reality to another without some way to make sure you can go back home.

I was originally going to have a scene with Bruce and Dick talking about that book he was reading and then have two talking until late, but this came out better this way. Timing just changed. The book was a bit of a joke on my part. Everyone really does have "great expectations" of Dick and his future. no pressure on the kid. it's just one of the books on his english reading list he hasn't gotten to yet, that's all.

I really liked the two's banter, especially when it came to bedtimes. Running off of cookies was a joke starting from 'Double Take', and I think it's a joke everyone plays with Alfred and the Robins. Everyone loves his cookies and pretty much run off them. =P


	26. Ch 26 The Long Haul

**Disclaimer:** If wishes were horses, i'd have a ranch. I'd also have DC comics and everything they own. Unfortunately they remain wishes. I own nothing.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions in the reviews, but I'm gonna ignore them. Yes I'm a brat, but I had the whole thing plotted out from the beginning and I've finished writing this one on my compy and I'm not changing it. Love the funny reviews though. You all make my day.

Now I must warn you, the rest of this has a lot of batfluff in it, but you're gonna have to wait a while to get it. You'll see why soon. *laugh evilly*

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 26 – The Long Haul**

"Seriously you should have seen the look on Wally's face! It was classic!" Dick laughed at his own story as he told Bruce at the counter. Since his suit was ripped off the previous day and he didn't keep spares in the mountain, he was forced to wear borrowed street clothes. He probably would have worn sunglasses or a domino mask to at least try to hide his identity, but the only mask in the mountain was Robin's and that was too small for him. His sunglasses were broken beyond repair the previous day. Both of them were condemned to just be Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson until Superman came back from the cave with a spare costume. Their only defense was a special program keeping certain leaguers who didn't know Batman's identity out of the mountain.

"Was it now?" Bruce teased as he sipped his morning coffee. Having been given a clean bill of health (despite earlier injuries), the man had followed Dick into the kitchen for a simple breakfast. Or brunch, as it was nearly eleven when they finally left medical. Dick was the one who did the cooking, making some quick pancakes and reminding Bruce why Alfred had banned him from the kitchen. The man was just allowed to make coffee there. Hal, resting in front of the TV, had tried not to laugh at the story Dick eagerly told, still in pain from the last time he teased the dark knight.

"Totally!" Dick continued. "But you should have seen Artemis' face when she first came to Gotham Academy. Still have the photo on my phone back home. After Bette introduced herself, I slipped up next to her and took a shot. It was hysterical! I know we'll all laugh about it someday."

The man rubbed his chin in thought. "This is Sportsmasters girl right? Artemis Crock? Tigress?"

The boy shrugged. "Yeah, but back home she just goes by Artemis. Or Artie. Wally sometimes calls her Blondie, but that's one of the nicer names he calls her. Seriously, those two should just admit they like each other and get it over with!"

"Barry must have something to say about this," Bruce imputed.

"Oh he does, here and there." Dick nearly finished what was on his plate, still talking between bites. "Here, he hates the idea, but here Artie's in juvie. Back home he's in camp 'get over with it already'. Seriously, those two are almost more obvious than Conner and M'gann."

The older man raised an eyebrow. "What about Kaldur'ham? Is he in a relationship?"

"Lost his girl to his best friend in Atlantis," the boy answered easily. He shrugged helplessly. "You know what happens when you're not around the girl you like. They find someone else. You done with that? I'll take care of them."

Bruce lifted his hands out of the way as Dick snatched his empty dishes away and piled them on his own. The man raised his eyebrow again as the boy took them to the sink and started cleaning them. "You don't have to do the dishes Dick."

The boy laughed fondly for a moment. "Are you kidding? Alfie never gives me a chance to do them back home. Used to do this all the time with my parents and we made a great game of it every night. When else am I going to get the chance?

"Besides," Dick threw him one of his shining smiles, "I like helping out. Makes me feel like I have a reason for living in this world."

The dark knight watched him in silence for a moment, contemplating this boy again. For some reason he became easier to talk to than the first time he talked to him. Maybe it was the lack of cowl, maybe it was the change in demeanor on Bruce's part. Or maybe it was because Dick was very lonely and was letting himself latch onto the illusion of normalcy with him. Was this another brave face? He was beginning to think this was a habit the boy had formed years ago.

"So," Bruce started, growing an impish smirk, "is there a particular girl you're interested in?"

Dick jerked his head around with a snap, a slight blush on his alarmed face. "Uh… well… not on the team…"

Bruce hid his smile with his coffee, also hiding his thoughts. Dick had no problem talking about others, but when it came to his personal life, it seemed to make him nervous around him. More than likely it was because his Batman knew everything about him, big or small, so telling him anything a bit more personal felt odd.

"But there is someone."

Dick blushed a bit more, busying his hands with the dishes best he could. "Someones… Zatanna's pretty fun, but I don't get to see her very often. And… Babs…."

He became quiet for a moment, then still, clearly thinking about this second person. The dark knight raised an eyebrow, wondering who this 'Babs' was. She must be his real first crush if he reacted this way. He hadn't mentioned her at all before, and apparently thinking of her was something he avoided until then. Judging by his reaction, Dick was much closer to 'Babs' than Zatanna. A childhood friend?

"Babs?"

The boy shook his head to clear it and went back to his work determined. "Barabra Gordon."

"Jim's daughter?" He couldn't hide the surprise in his voice.

"Yeah." Dick set the plate he was working on aside and started explaining himself. "We've been friends for years, you know, being high profile targets, we just started hanging out together. She's smart, funny, drop-dead gorgeous, and she can really kick butt."

"She's also older than you," Bruce reminded him.

"And taller." He finished washing the last of the dishes before looking back over to him. "Why do you think I haven't told her yet? I honestly don't expect her to take me seriously until I can at least look her in the eye."

"Hm. Good plan. Wait until you're older." The man shook his head as he took another sip of his coffee. Really, the boy was too young to really start thinking about girls, but Bruce was no fool. By thirteen, most boys were at least curious about the opposite sex.

Dick gave a short laugh. "Yeah, stay a kid as long as possible." He became silent again, his smile fading a small fraction before he shook his head again and came back to the counter, hopping on a stool. "Make the world a little brighter."

"You must have had an interesting childhood," Bruce stated, trying to lighten the boy's growing melancholy.

"You could say that." The boy nearly lounged on the countertop, arms folded beneath his chin as he zoned out resting his head there. "The circus was lots of fun, but hard work. Dad had me help the hands every chance I got. Everything from helping set up tents to working with the animals. I snuck off to learn tricks from the others all the time. That or hang out with Zitka."

"Zitka?"

"One of the elephants. She's really friendly too." He smiled fondly at the memory. "There was one fourth of July when I snuck her a watermelon and we ate the whole thing before my mom found out. Mom was pretty upset about it, but Dad just laughed. He always said there was no stopping me back then. Even when he was teaching me acrobatics, he had a hard time getting me to stop and go to bed. We'd practice late into the night and he almost had to tackle me to get me in bed."

"I bet he did." Bruce watched the boy and just listened to him talk about the circus or about his friends and the League back home, letting him tell story after story. But he noticed the lack of one subject in particular. His own Batman.

Anything having to do with Dick's Bruce was neatly avoided. His personal life surrounding his time with the said man was neglected, no matter what subject the boy prattled on about. Every time he came close to speaking of his Batman or anything related to him, he froze. His smile would fade slightly and for brief moments he became silent, looking elsewhere. Indeed his cheery demeanor wasn't a small thing. His mask laid thickly on his face, hiding his despair at the possibility of never returning home.

No one had to tell him. Dick was a smart boy. He figured it out on his own.

And Bruce had no idea how to help him any further. All he could do was distract him for the day. Once he had his uniform, he'd return to the cave and put together a more permanent solution for the boy. It might take another week or so, but it'd be worth it. Maybe, someday in the near future, Dick could truly smile again from the bottom of his heart.

* * *

><p>Throughout the day different members of the League dropped in to check on Hal and Bruce to see how they had faired from the fight. Hal would always give them a brief laugh before showing off his wounds. Then he'd direct them to wherever the dynamic duo was at the moment. All that day the man watched as the two talked at the kitchen counter, worked on chemistry and math on the couches, told riddles in the halls, and even now were sparring in the gym. Everyone wanted to see them together, and no one wanted to alert the two detectives.<p>

No one wanted to stop the two from bonding.

Dinah watched on the monitor as Dick used the gym equipment to get the drop on Bruce, amazed at his playful ingenuity. The boy grinned as he landed on the man's back, quickly bouncing off before he could be caught.

"You're not playing fair," Bruce stated, tracking the boy with his eyes.

"Your fault for not setting rules." The boy leapt onto one of the weight machines, using the bar to pull himself up. He climbed to the top of the contraption before leaping to the next one to find a new way to get the drop on the dark knight.

"I wanted to see first hand what you were capable of." His eyes narrowed, making onlookers wary for the kid's sake

"A lot of things, first of all using my head." The boy grinned down on him. "I know I can't beat you, so I'm using everything I can."

"Then its time to change the rules." Bruce folded his arms as he glared at the child on the perch. "Stay on the mats."

"Arial's okay?" Instantly Dick was on the ground, falling quickly into a fighting stance. It was an easy one to recognize from Batman's arsenal.

"If that's the way you fight." There almost seemed to be a playfulness in his voice, one the Leaguers watching didn't recognize. Dick did though and grinned in response. Quickly the boy launched himself at the man twice his size, ready to give as much as he could take in this sparing match.

"Unbelievable," Canary whispered with a smile.

"That's what I thought," Hal pitched in.

"Think the big man's happy?" Flash asked, a small smirk on his face.

"As happy as he possibly could be," J'onn murmured beside them. His eyes narrowed sadly as he watched Dick. "The boy though, he's conflicted."

"Conflicted?" Dinah looked over to the Martian in confusion.

"How? The kid's been laughing and talking nonstop all day," Hal pointed out.

Flash seemed to understand. "It's a front. The kid's really good at putting up a brave face."

"But he seems so happy," Dinah persisted.

"He is," Manhunter agreed, "but that is part of the problem."

They all stared at the Martian as he watched the screen again. He folded his arms as he watched the two spar and letting the emotions from the kid seep through. "He's afraid. Been afraid since he arrived here. Afraid he will never return home to his world. Never see his friends or family again. It's a very understandable fear."

"So he's figured out the truth?" Hal persisted.

"He's a smart kid Hal." Flash looked down, disappointed with himself. "He probably knew from the beginning. He just kept hoping by some slim chance we'd find a way."

"So he's lost hope?" Dinah asked, not believing it. "Doesn't look that way to me."

"Not entirely," J'onn admitted, "but he desperately wants some part of his life back to normal. Everything is so different, and yet it is the same. Seeing Batman in the state he was yesterday and watching him until he woke only brought his earlier fears and emotions back to his subconscious. He's latching on to whatever he can to make things normal. His reality is changing too much for him to handle.

"He's accepting he may not return home, and making do with what is available around him. He knows it is wrong, but he wants to believe at least for a few minutes that this is his Batman, his father. He's conflicted because he wants to be happy, but feels he's betraying everything he loves if he lets this world become his new home. But he can't be alone. He fears that above everything else. The conflict within him is going to make it impossible for him to move on if he doesn't come to terms with it soon."

"I'd say you're reading too much into it J'onn if we didn't know you were psychic." Hal supported his arm as the looked back to the screen. "We're still looking into ways to send him home you know, so don't let the kid give up yet."

"He's going to be here for a while," Flash admitted. "Letting the kid stay in the mountain isn't going to work for the long haul. I could take him in—"

"I think Batman has this covered," J'onn stated flatly, and the others agreed silently. "But it's not going to be easy, on either of them. Robin has to learn this may be permanent. I believe the effects of this knowledge will cripple him for a time, but it is better than living in denial."

They stood in silence for a moment before Dinah looked back to the screen sadly. "This is going to devastate him isn't it. We should be able to help him get home, but all we can do is give him a new one. Some heroes we turned out to be."

"I still say I could take him in," Flash repeated. "I'm pretty good with kids and Iris would be okay with it. At least then he'd see Wally and have a normal life. Central's a lot safer than Gotham at least."

"You have a point there," J'onn agreed. "But he's rather attached to Batman."

"But he's starting from scratch with him again if he does," the speedster pointed out. "From the way we talked, I'm pretty sure him living with me would be a normal beginning rather than 'I have memories of you you'll never have' thing. The kid had five years with his Batman. Imagine having all those memories and then having to remind yourself every day they didn't happen."

They all fell into silence again, thinking this over. The Martian tilted his head at an idea. "I could remove those memories from his mind if it makes it easier on him."

They gaped at him. It was hard to tell who objected first or loudest as the Zeta-tube started up. "Are you out of your mind?" "How could you! He needs those memories!" "He's just a kid! That'd probably give him brain damage!"

_Recognized – Superman 01_

"There's no way on Earth J'onn! We're not letting you do that!" "Can you imagine what Bruce would say if he found out?" "You're nuts if you think anyone on Earth would let you get away with that!"

"What's going on guys?" They all looked to Superman as he came closer. Under his arms were two uniforms fresh from the Batcave. He didn't just get Bruce's spare costume, he also had Alfred clean Robin's for future use. Neither of the world's finest could find reason to rid the boy of his original clothes, not to mention the kid would probably throw a fit if they had.

Hal explained, glaring at the Martian. "J'onn wants to erase the kid's memories of his DaddyBats so he can live happily with Bruce."

"What?" The man of steel stared in confusion around the group, not understanding how any of this started. He glanced at the screen, watching the two spar almost joyfully. Dick was clearly enjoying this, a large smile on his face. It was hard to read Bruce's emotions, always was, but there was less tension in his face than normal.

"I was merely stating it might be an option." The Martian turned off the screen to give the two their privacy. "Since the boy is going to be here for quite some time, he has to be moved. Batman is the best candidate to take care of him, but Robin is conflicted. He wishes to go home and yet can't. He wishes even more so for his normal life and to be happy, so his mind is beginning to shape his perception into accepting this reality as his own. His existing memories are likely to give him trouble, so I thought—"

"Taking them away might help?" Superman could see exactly where the green man was coming from, but also felt the aching loneliness that came from the thought. "J'onn, you do realize you'd be reverting him to an eight year old child who just lost his parents right? You can't do that."

The Martian sighed heavily. "I wasn't saying taking away all his memories," he tried, "but it is likely he'll repress his memories on his own as well. Once he comes to fully accept the truth—"

"He'll probably have another breakdown," the Kryptonian concluded. He remembered very well the nightmares Dick had every night that week. The other night when he clung to Clark, he admitted most of his fears to him. It nearly killed him inside. The boy couldn't take being alone. He needed his Bruce most of all. But it was likely he'd never return home. All they could do is make a new one for him.

And if their Batman was to be the kid's guardian, then he had the last say in the matter. Knowing the man, he'd just help the boy through the breakdown and encourage him to move on, maybe even force him. Dick was going to have a rough time in the near future, there was no escaping that.

They fell into silence again before Flash decided to break the mood. "So you really think Bruce can take care of the kid? I mean, I know he's a tough boy, but still, Bruce Wayne's a billionaire playboy. Not exactly fatherly material. What if the kid has a nightmare and Bruce has a lady friend for the night? Not like he can help the kid out then."

"Good point," Hal agreed, a laugh coming from his throat. "And imagine the dinner parties. I bet the kid'll be bored stiff."

"You do realize he's handled all that before right?" Dinah said in the kid's defense.

"Maybe," Flash added grinning. "Just saying our Brucie is going to have some rough times too. I know what it's like having a halfway grown nephew thrown at you and it's not that easy. Robin's a chatterbox if I know anything. Can you imagine the stakeouts they'd have? Or their family dinners? 'Enjoying your stake Old Chum?' 'Holy Cow Batman! It's the best! Did you know there's like twenty different kinds of cattle out there?'"

Everyone but J'onn laughed, the Martian gave a small smile. Hal decided to join in. "'Batman! Batman! Look! There's three guys going in there with clown masks! One of them looks like their riding a donkey. What kind of donkey is that Batman? Can I get a Snickers if I take out the donkey?' Oh man, Bruce will have to hide all the candy in his house."

"Does he even have candy?" Dinah asked quickly.

"And the paint!" Flash added quickly, grins coming to he and his friend's faces. "Did he get rid of all of it in time?"

"It and then some. Never seen the place so clean!"

"Wait," Superman held up a hand, confusion coming out once more. "What's this about cleaning up paint? And what does it have to do with candy?"

"Um…" Both Leaguers looked at each other, having not told anyone yet about the boy's escapade the other day. There wasn't much of a chance all things considered. Just as they were about to try and explain, an ear splitting snap filled the air behind them.

Everyone jerked around and into fighting stances immediately, the bundles in Superman's arms flying precariously to the ground. Part of them remembered hearing that sound nearly a week ago, but instincts took over when the strange occurred. They all held their stances as they saw the surprise before them.

Batman knelt before them, his cape furled behind him as if he just landed. His hands let go of his ears as he raised himself to his full height. Every partial of his being told them he was ready to tear the world apart, every thing and one in his way if they didn't do exactly what he wanted. His patented glare bore into them as he spoke slowly and distinctly, a growl in his throat.

"I'm only going to ask this nicely once. Where is Robin?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** YAY! DADDYBATS IS HERE! *does happy dance* and here's where i have to leave you all on hiatus until 'Where's Robin?' sends him over to this world. Which means the best batfluff seen yet is on hold for probably a month. That's if I can get my writing mojo on. can't guarantee i'll be updating that one very quickly.

So, just to cover some basic points: dick was starting to go through a breakdown because he was starting to come to terms with the idea of not getting to go home. First step: denial, pretend everything is normal. Fooling himself into thinking this was his Bruce yet knowing he wasn't was what he was doing. If he stayed there another week and then ended up in Wayne manor again being told he'd never go home, he'd probably have a complete mental and emotional breakdown including screaming and tears. It'd probably take a month for him to recover enough to start therapy sessions and then soldier on accepting his new life there. That's where it'd be heading if I hadn't already in my mind established that this would only be a week long visit. I think one week is all I'd be able to do in detail anyway without going nuts, and DaddyBats not literally ripping holes in the time/space continuum to get his boy back.

Next thing you should know: Hal and Barry haven't said a word about the sugar high and paint yet. Truth be told, I got the painting idea from other people's fanfics in the batman comics section. There was a great one with Dick making Tim and Cass paint the Batcave. Anywho, this turns into a running joke in the remainder of the story.

Martian Manhunter's able to get away with scanning Dick and Bruce's minds here because they're both not emotionally stable right now, Dick especially. Since it's just a gentle prodding to assess emotional states, Bruce allows it.

And then we have big old DaddyBats coming over to visit and being really scary. This will be explained in the next chapter (which is gonna be way longer than the others because I didn't find a place to cut it in half). But seriously, do you think he'd be on bended knee begging for his little bird? And I didn't bring the team in because I didn't want too many characters to complicate things. Quit asking to see the team! They've got their own problems and story!

Yeah, everyone, it's time to go back to 'Where's Robin?' enjoy this hiatus! ^^V


	27. Ch 27 Return

**Disclaimer: **Alas! I only own this story. The characters within and all the awesomeness that is them, I do not. Such a shame. I'd have warped the world a hundred times over if I were the one in charge.

Thank you all for waiting so long and for keeping up with my other story 'Where's Robin?' Honestly, I wasn't intending to make this a huge hiatus. I just didn't have much motivation to write it for a long time. But your constant telling me to update, plus the poll results this past week, have pushed my hand. I still have a few more chapters to go with it's sister story, but this was the original idea after all. You'll see why there had to be a converging point later on and why i wanted to put this on pause for a while soon. Hope you like the end of Rob's visit to Earth 16.5 (no flaming C's here though, sorry =P).

As an unrelated note, Avengers was AWESOME! Hulk was so fun. ^^V

* * *

><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Ch. 27 – Return**

The five Leaguers in the room stared at the new Batman before them. They thought they saw Batman mad before. They thought they saw his scariest sides on missions and in battle. Never had they seen him like this. It was almost more than they ever thought possible. This Batman was a truly terrifying creature.

"Wow. DaddyBats appears," Hal joked in a low tone.

"Don't mess with DaddyBats," Flash agreed. Both their eyes were popping from their sockets.

"Shut up," Black Canary ordered, keeping her eyes on the new intruder. Superman was the first to ease out of his stance, approaching the man with open hands.

"First, I'd like some assurance you're really—"

Batman grabbed the man's wrist while stepping closer, twisting his weight against him and throwing the man onto his chest. He twisted his arm uncomfortably behind the alien's back and put all his weight into it, growling in his ear. "I've just spent the past week waiting for a pair of alien homing devices to get my boy home. Do not make me wait another minute."

"I'd advise you get off of him." J'onn's eyes flared as he glared down on Batman still pinning Superman on the ground. GL pointed his ring at the dark knight's head while Canary and Flash settled into stances once again, this time much closer. The Bat's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he did not let go.

"It's alright J'onn" Superman said on the floor. He cranked his neck to look up at them reassuringly. "I was just making sure this was Robin's Batman."

No one moved for a moment, but the grip keeping the man of steel down loosened a fraction. The man seemed to approve a small amount. "If you'll get off me, we'll take you to him."

"Not necessary," Batman stated, though he did get off of the man of steel. "Just tell me where he is and I'll take care of the rest."

As Superman returned to his feet, Batman performed a visual sweep of the room. His eyes rested on the uniforms haphazardly laying on the ground. The others kept their guards up as he strode past them to Robin's costume, picking it up without any kind of explanation.

"It is necessary," the Kryptonian reiterated. "This is our home, not yours. Robin's been our guest here since he appeared. The least you can do is respect our wishes until you go."

The man's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing in response. He came back to his feet and turned on the alien silently, uniform in hand. They watched him for a moment, not certain if they could trust him. Then his agitated voice brought them back to the present. "Well?"

Tension lessened at his one word, letting Superman stride forward to lead him down the hallway. "Follow me."

He did, along with the rest of the Leaguers in the room. None of them quite knew how to take this second Batman in. Hal had started calling him DaddyBats to distinguish between their Batman and Robin's, but he wasn't near as cuddly as they thought he'd be. They were certain the boy's Batman would be kinder at the least, maybe even friendly because of Robin's influence. Right then it looked like the kid only made him meaner.

"We have a few questions for you," Hal started, glaring at the man. Right then he could see the rabid bat who attacked him nearly 24 hours ago.

"I bet," the Bat answered shortly.

Not to be deterred, Hal continued, "What took you so long to get here?"

Batman gave him a glare from the corner of his eye. "That particular piece of alien technology required homing devices for retrieval of items crossing realities. My Hal Jordon was able to procure them, but it took a week for him to make it back to Earth. We couldn't risk sending anyone through without one."

"You could have sent a message," Hal persisted, receiving a growl.

"We tried, but the device only works on objects weighing at least fifty pounds. Anything less burns on impact."

"How much does Robin weigh?" Flash asked out of curiosity.

"Hundred-ten."

"What possessed you to make a child your partner in your war against crime?" J'onn demanded.

At this Batman turned to the Martian, seemingly raising an eyebrow. "Have you actually met Robin?"

They all stared at him in surprise at this answer. The Martian nodded slowly. The Bat gave a frustrated sigh, shaking his head as he proceeded down the hallway. "Then he's been on his best behavior for you. There's no stopping the boy, I can only set limits to try to protect him."

"So you tried and failed?" Hal offered.

"He ran off in a leotard and a yellow cape when he was nine," Batman retorted. "He's the best acrobat I've ever seen and incredibly bright. Trying to stop him is pointless. You would know if Robin existed here."

"How do you know he doesn't?" Hal demanded.

"You wouldn't be asking me pointless questions if he did. The gym?"

Superman tried not to smirk as they turned the final corner to the gym door. "Sounds like it."

"You didn't know?" The annoyance in Batman's voice reminded them he was a man on a mission, a very personal mission.

"We knew," Canary offered. "We just wanted to be sure you were the right guy. Robin's been in there with our Batman for the past couple hours training. He's been getting so lonely without you, we were talking about his future here."

"There isn't going to be one," the Bat growled, forcing the door open. "He's coming home, now."

As soon as the doors opened, both fighters broke off and turned to see who was coming in. Bruce stiffened slightly then looked to the boy. Dick's eyes widened in surprise, his earlier smile dropping as naked hope grew on his face. He stared openly as Batman swept in, stopping just short of the mats as his gaze locked on his charge's eyes. The other five Leaguers stayed in the doorway, giving them space.

Batman's face gave away no emotions, still stiff and apparently stoic as he stood there, seemingly at a loss for words. Neither he nor the boy moved a muscle for a good minute. Leaguers were beginning to exchange worried glances when at last the man spoke. "Define aster."

Dick grinned, his eyes shining. "Opposite of disaster."

"Nope, it's a daisy." There seemed to be a drop of humor in his voice. "And dangerful is not a word."

The boy laughed fondly. "Oh yeah, I'm so whelmed at that conclusion."

Only Bruce saw the slight smile on Batman's lips, but everyone saw Dick run straight into the man, nearly tackling him in a hug. To everyone's surprise, the big scary bat wrapped his caped arms around the boy, holding him so close it looked like a shadow was swallowing the two up. It was clear to them all how much they missed each other.

Superman could hear a few sobs from the boy's lips, having started crying for joy at the sight of his mentor. J'onn could feel their shared relief and warmth radiating from them as they held what they held dear close to their hearts. Hal and Flash exchanged awkward glances, both feeling like they shouldn't be there right then as Canary cried, just as happy for the two to be together again. Bruce though watched on, feeling a jealous ache in his chest.

They stayed together for a long moment, neither wanting to let go, before Batman made any audible noise. "I hear you've behaved for once."

Dick laughed, easing out of his hold while still keeping a grip on the man. "You could say that."

"Any injuries?" Quickly he looked up and down the boy, not seeing any visible wounds.

"A few bruises from some tussles, nothing bad." He wiped away his tears with the back of his hand. "Well, one shoulder's not looking so hot but what can you do. You?"

"Bruises, cracked knuckles, cracked rib, knife wound."

"Joker?"

The man nodded. "Team helped take him and Scarecrow down while you were away. I see they aren't here."

"The team doesn't exist here," Dick explained, keeping his grip on Batman's uniform. "You wouldn't believe the differences here! Here Roy became a bad guy! Artemis was with her dad too! Zatanna and I kinda snuck out earlier to fight Sportsmaster, Cheshire and them. Oh and Mister Twister too! They were after some secret government gizmo. Didn't find out what though 'cause I was getting Roy to rehab. I mean, Artie's still a minor so they'll go easier on her right? She being under coercion and all that jazz."

"They will," Batman reassured him. He kept his hands on the boy's shoulders, comforting both of them with the continual contact. The boy continued, smiling.

"That's great! Oh and Wally doesn't have superspeed here either. M'gann hasn't left Mars yet, and you know how we found Conner. They haven't looked very far into Cadmus here. I haven't the slightest clue what's going on with Kaldur. They haven't told me. Zee's the only one I've been able to see."

"Zee?"

"Zatanna. We hung out for a couple days, then I kind of blew it for her when we hacked the systems to go off and fight bad guys."

"Sportsmaster and Cheshire."

"Yep!"

"You fought them on your own?" There was a hint of surprise in his voice. He was impressed.

"Mostly. Zee managed to tangle Cheshire up before she could skewer me, so I can't take much credit with her. But I definitely beat Artemis on my own. Roy kinda ganged up on me before I could do the finishing touches on Sportsmaster. Mister Twister was a lot easier the second time around." Pride radiated from the boy's face.

"They usually are. You can give me the full report when we get home." Quietly he let go of one shoulder and slid his other hand the boy's back to start guiding him out the door. He only paused a moment to pick the Robin uniform back off the ground where he dropped it to hold his boy.

Dick laughed. "10-4. What did Wally shoot me with anyway? Some kind of alien banishment thing like Superman's phantom zone projector?"

"Almost," Batman admitted, then looked away slightly as he handed the uniform to him. "It was a Volvion storage transporter."

The boy took it, gaping at him in disbelief, along with everyone who was listening. "You're kidding right?"

"Wish I were." The man put a hand to his eyes and tried rubbing them. "Apparently they're a bunch of packrats who wanted more space. Someone made interdimensional technology to find a dead version of their planet to use it for extra storage. Homing beacons are placed on crates sent to their alternate world so they can get them back."

"That's why you didn't come running after me after the first day," Dick concluded for him. "You didn't have the homing beacons."

"And they're one time uses," Batman added. "It took Jordon all week to get them to Earth, and I had Steward and Gardner back him up to make sure it didn't take more than a week. They aren't easy to come by, at least not out here."

Dick groaned. "Great. Count on Wally to blast me to another world with only half the instruction manual. I'm so going to slug him later."

The man smirked. "You won't be the first."

"Oh I can imagine." The boy grabbed his own forehead at the thought, containing his laughter. "Considering that me being dead here made the world way too kooky for my tastes, I can just see everyone getting on his case for making me go away."

"You're dead here?" the bat asked with an alarmed snap.

The kid nodded. "Apparently. And no Robin means no child heroes in general."

"Hm… Well you did break the mold." Batman admitted. He became silent as they approached the others in the doorway. He spoke softly to avoid being heard. "We thought you were dead for a few hours."

Dick stared up at him in disbelief. "Dead? Me?"

The man nodded. There was a solemn sadness in his face. "Worst three and a half hours of our lives."

The kid stared at him for a long moment, then slid closer to him looking down, tightening his grip on the man's uniform while pressing his own to his chest. "I'm not going to leave you like that," he mumbled softly. The dark knight just rubbed the boy's back in response.

Once to the blocked doorway, Batman's usual expression returned. "Robin needs to change before we go. Where is the rest of his uniform?"

"My mask's in my room," Dick piped in quickly, looking back up to him.

"The rest is in mine," Dinah pitched in, wiping away her own tears. "Flash could you—"

"Here they are!" Flash was gone and back within a few seconds, boots and gloves in his hands with the belt hanging over his shoulder. There was a proud smile on his face, but a hint of sadness as well. He was going to miss Robin.

"—get them for… Oh forget it."

The kid held back a snicker before finally letting go of Batman to grab the remainder of his things. "Thanks Flash. Thanks for helping me out so much here too. You've been a real lifesaver."

"Any time kid." Flash grinned broadly. "You really helped be out with Wally and Rudi."

"Are things really bad for him here?" Dick asked quickly, a bit of panic rising in him. Batman gave them an inquiring look.

The speedster shook his head. "Panicking over nothing. Rudolph isn't really around much. You were right about the fighting, but Mary can give as much as she can take. I've gotten Wally to open up a little more about it. Apparently there's these guys at school giving him a rough time too. That's where he got the bruises I saw before."

The teen gave a relieved smile. "That's good. Not the bullying but it's good to know his dad's not hurting him."

"I'll say," Flash agreed. "Dunno what I'd do if he was."

Everyone made room for the duo to pass them, Dick leading the way to the room he'd been using. There was a slight skip in his step as he continued forward, completely different from that first day he arrived. The boy looked up to Black Canary as they all hurried down the hall. "You'll still look after Roy right?"

She smiled graciously. "Of course. I plan on making sure he walks on the straight and narrow from now on."

He laughed a little. "He's going to love that."

"He better with all the trouble you gave us over him," Superman joked. Batman gave him a curious look then looked down to the boy's impish grin.

The kid looked up to him for a brief moment and shrugged. "Not exactly best behavior."

"I'll say," Hal interjected. "You should have seen the kitchen yesterday."

"Your fault leaving the paint there."

"Paint?" Both Batman's asked in perfect unison. Everyone else jumped at the stereo sound around them. With the kid's Batman in front and their Bruce in back, it was hard to keep calm about it. Especially since they didn't realize he followed them out. Only Dick seemed to not look at either of them, keeping his smiling mouth clamped shut.

Both Hal and Flash snickered. "Yeah, paint. He and Marvel redecorated the kitchen and entertainment center. Even got the ceiling."

"You're kidding me." Superman thought back to Robin's reaction to Marvel being there, then looked at the boy. Their Bruce held a bewildered look on his face as he stared at the kid's head.

Batman though, he gave the kid a mild glare. "Paint. You little…"

"That's what they get when they leave me alone with Marvel and a lot of sugar," Dick rattled off quickly. He gave Batman a joking smile, batting his lashes in an attempt to be cute. It was returned with an exasperated sigh and the man roughly running a hand through his hair, making the boy laugh and try to bat it off.

"Remind me never to leave you alone with him again," the Bat muttered as they neared the boy's temporary room.

"Like I'll ever get the chance. This is the one." Dick looked over to Batman quickly, a question ready to be asked. "I don't remember this room in the mountain back home. Does it—"

"No," he answered, "we were forced to abandon the cave before we could finish adding the rooms we wanted to. This was where we were planning a temporary holding cell."

"Holding cell," the boy repeated, not at all impressed. He looked past him to Superman and gave him an irked look. "Really."

"Uh huh. Go get changed." Batman pressed '9' on the pad next to the door, eager to get this over with. He took one look inside, spotting both the camera and the hole in the wall. He merely raised an eyebrow at it as the boy popped inside.

"Copy that. Be out in ten."

"Ten?" The man looked at the boy inquiringly. Ten minutes seemed slower than normal.

"Need to write a few notes real fast too. Not everyone who's met me is here."

Slowly the man nodded, then gave him a point of warning. "Don't doddle and start jumping on the bed. I gave the others very strict instructions for retrieval."

"Roger." Quickly the kid put his hand to the wires coming out of the wall, forcing a temporary barrier in between himself and the adults in the hallway. Immediately Batman turned around to face the others, leaning against the side of door panel in wait.

Everyone stared at the man, some really unsure what to say. He though had something to talk about. "You left him alone with Captain Marvel?"

"Correction," their Bruce started, "_they_ left him alone with him. I was busy."

"What's wrong with leaving him with Marvel?" Superman asked innocently.

"He doesn't respond well to sugar," Flash stated quickly.

"He's ten." Everyone but his counterpart stared at Batman. His demeanor had changed greatly since his reunion with his partner, but he was still the dark knight who thought the world was filled with idiots. The Leaguers just stared at him in shock, then looked to their own detective who nodded in exasperation.

"The only reason we left him in charge of the team for a while was because no one else knew the truth. They all believed he was a responsible adult and so they acted accordingly. He's a good kid, but seriously, no one gives Robin sugar, and no one should leave the two of them alone with a candy bowl." Batman shook his head in frustration. "Seriously, it's worse than leaving him with Oliver and Roy in Star overnight."

"What happens then?" Hal asked in curiosity.

"Oliver takes the night off." The Bat's frustration rolled off him in droves, making most of the Leaguer's worried about this other world. Seemed like having child partners was a lot more trouble than they first thought.

"You have a good kid there," Superman stated, trying to spin everything in a positive light.

"Most of the time." It was clear the man had some stories to tell, but he wasn't about to divulge them.

"You're lucky to have him." Everyone stopped and stared at their Bruce when he said this. They looked between the two men, trying to read the atmosphere between them carefully. Thankfully, only Hal had to be told to leave; everyone else could sense it.

"Um, we'll just wait for the two of you in the main hall. Everyone?" At Superman's signal, the Martian, Space Cop, speedster, and token female, walked back down the hallway to where everything started.

The two detectives leaned against opposite walls, just staring at each other. Neither spoke for several minutes, though they knew much had to be said. Finally the silence reached its peak and the native of that world spoke first. "I never really thought of having a partner before."

"Neither did I."

"Or raising a kid, alone."

"Alfred helps a lot." He looked towards the door. "And despite his childish tendencies, he's an easy going kid."

"Childish tendencies?"

There was a smirk growing on Batman's lips again. "Let's just say, painting the kitchen while on a sugar high is one of his nicer pranks. The list of damages around the manor is more than I thought it'd be when I took him in."

"Sounds hard."

"Daredevil acrobat," the man explained. "A plus and a minus in this business. But he does what he can to make up for his mistakes."

"Is it worth it?" The two men stared into each others' eyes, the white lenses on one the only barrier between them. This was something the man had to know, for his own possible future.

Gentle warmth actually radiated from the Batman as the smiled in answer. "Every second."

They lapsed in comfortable silence again, one contemplating his future and possible past, and the other thinking of the boy beyond the door. The first spoke again. "You're a very lucky man to have him."

"I know."

"I was thinking of taking him in myself since we couldn't find a way to send him back to you." There was a touch of playfulness in his voice, making Batman scoff. "I might still take him home."

"Get your own Robin." He turned and knocked on the door, starting to become impatient. "It's been ten minutes."

Quickly the doors slid open, revealing a fully dressed Robin holding two folded pieces of paper in one hand. One labeled Zatanna and the other to Captain Marvel. There was a satisfied grin on his face. "All set! Just need to make sure these letters go out."

"I'll take care of them." This world's Bruce stepped forward, extending a hand to receive the letters. Robin stared up at him in slight shock before handing them over and looking back and forth between the two men.

"This is just too weird," the boy noted, pointing back and forth between the two. Both men raised an eyebrow, silently demanding an explanation. "Same guy, and not the same guy. It's just… weird. Welcome to the Twilight Zone."

Both men grunted in unison, neither helping their case. As Bruce looked at the names on the letters again, Batman took out the homing devices from his utility belt and attached it to Robin's tunic, making certain it was firmly in place. "Make sure this stays on you until we're back home."

"10-4. Got one for yourself too I see." The man grunted as usual, checking the boy's beacon again before pinning his own onto his chest. This made Robin chuckle fondly, knowing what was going through the man's mind. He looked up to the other man there, hesitating or a moment before speaking again. "Um, thanks for today. I had a lot of fun."

This Bruce nodded in response. He watched the boy for a moment before offering his hand to him. "Take care Dick."

Nodding with a smile, Robin took the man's hand and gave it a firm shake. "Will do. Shall we go?"

"Any other goodbyes you wish to do before we leave?" his mentor retorted.

The boy looked around at the empty hallway. "Well they aren't here…"

"The rest are waiting in the main hall, where I bet that boy scout left my uniform," Bruce stated sourly towards the end.

"Yep." Batman's short response earned a giggle from the boy wonder, signaling to the three of them to proceed towards the others. Once in the room, everyone turned to start saying their goodbyes to the boy.

Dinah was the first, giving him a big hug. "Now don't let the world get you down, got it?"

Robin laughed. "You think I'd let that happen? Been doing this for nearly five years. If you think the flack I'm getting now was bad, imagine back when I started."

The two shared a small laugh before parting. Hal messed with his hair for a moment as his goodbye. "You keep your DaddyBats in line now ya hear? Don't let him go killing your Green Lanterns."

Batman grunted behind the boy, who bit back a laugh as he responded. "He won't. That was a one time affair Hal. He doesn't hate you that much."

"That much?"

The boy laughed in response, then turned his attention to J'onn. They really hadn't talked since their brief argument that Sunday morning. He looked at him awkwardly before speaking. "Try to find M'gann okay? She's really a sweet girl."

"I will do what I can to meet her," the Martian promised, then gave him a calming smile. "I believe I must take back what I said before. You are doing exactly what you should be."

At this the uneasiness the boy displayed around him vanished. Pleased, Robin gave the alien a tight hug and a smile in thanks. He moved on to Flash, but it felt as if they said everything they needed to. The man grinned at the kid, extending a fist. The boy easily met it with his own.

"Take care of yourself kid."

"You too Flash. And don't forget your wife and Wally while you're at it."

"I won't," the speedster said with a laugh. The two's smiles matched as the bird boy turned to the man of steel.

"Well, I guess this is it," Superman started. He couldn't believe how much had changed in his mind since meeting this boy. He went from thinking kids shouldn't be heroes to knowing that sometimes they were better ones than their mentors.

"Guess so." Robin continued to give him a disarming smile, but this time he could tell it was truer than the blue of the kid's eyes. "You're going after Superboy once I'm gone right?"

"That's the general plan." Mentally the man of steel wasn't sure if he could handle having a son, but now he was willing to try.

"Good," Batman said behind the boy. "Make sure you take care of him and be a father to him this time."

"I take it your Superman isn't doing a good job." He couldn't miss the traces of disappointment in the dark knight's voice. It had to be something that unsettled their friendship in their world. The response the man gave him was simply a scowl, not aimed at him for once.

"You'll get the hang of it," Robin assured him, a pleased smile on his face. Quickly he gave the alien a hug. "Thanks for always trying Clark. For being there and believing for me."

The godlike alien bent over to wrap his arms around the small boy. "You're very welcome. And thank you for showing us another way to live. I think we almost forgot that anyone could be a hero."

Robin laughed as he released Superman, grinning from ear to ear. "Anyone and anything. But it's easier to be a hero than to be a family. Think you can manage that?"

He stared at the kid, a bit confused, then looked up to Batman and then Bruce collecting his fallen uniform. There were definite differences between the man he knew and the man he could have become. Batman had come there a dangerous and protective beast when he appeared. Now he had calmed down considerably, even more than he'd ever seen his Batman become. He seemed lighter, easier to approach. All it took was having one little boy by his side.

If one Robin could change this man so much, Superman could only wonder how much having Superboy around would change him.

He smiled down to the excited bird before him. "I think I can try. Take care sport."

He ruffled the kid's hair one last time before letting him return to his dark knight's side. Robin seemed to stop short of tackling another hug out of the man, but gleefully accepted having his black gloved hand rest on his head. He bent down a fraction as he pressed a button on the homing device on the boy's chest.

"Plug your ears, close your eyes, and brace yourself. This isn't an easy trip," Batman instructed as he turned his own beacon on.

Immediately the kid did as he was told. "I remember last time. How long is this going to take?"

"A few seconds." Batman bet his knees and placed his hands on his ears, ready for transport. It only took a moment more for Robin to mimic him completely, closing his eyes so tightly they could see it through the mask.

Without more than a moment's delay, they heard another ear splitting crack and the two were gone in a blinding light. Everyone stared in silence at the place the duo once stood, amazed they were there and then gone so quickly. And just like that, they could also feel a sad emptiness in the room. Someone was now missing from their lives, someone who managed to wheedle into their hearts in just under a week.

It was Flash who broke the mood. "So! Who's up for getting a Superboy?"

END

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><p>AN: But, there is an EPILOGUE! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! After all, Robin did tell them a lot of things. I have a lot of ramblings at the end of the "Robin Missions" as I've so duely named them to explain them all away.

I just reread this part again and realized one fun truth in this. It really is easier to be a hero than it is to be a family. Family is constant work while Hero is 'one thing then another but they generally aren't the same' kind of thing. It easy to be a hero, but way hard to be a parent. Weren't there a few adds about that not too long ago? =/ Who knows.

Love how bats talks to them. revealing Marvel's true age and why not to leave Rob and him with sugar was hilarious. And DaddyBats telling Bruce to get his own Robin was great too. I've wanted him to say that from the beginning.

Anyway, the last real installment that'll tie up all the loose ends goes up tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed this adventure. And remember, I finished writing all of this before the last hiatus ended. I was using a lot of references from comics so anything from 'Misplaced' on didn't happen. In either universe. ^^; Such is life.

Til tomorrow... TTFN!


	28. Epilogue  The Robin Missions

**Disclaimer:**If i've said it once, I've said it a hundred times. I really think it's getting to 100 actually, or far past. I don't own anything DC comics. Can't profit off of this at all.

So here's the epilogue. And may I remind people, for the umpteeth time, STOP MAKING SUGGESTIONS. I'm not making one shots after this, i'm not taking this any farther than it needs to be, and there is no sequel to be made. The Epilogue is all the flash forward you're gonna get. Some people have guessed right, others are being really silly and it's getting on my nerves. When I write a story and post it here, in my head it's already done. This guy in particular was physically finished months ago. not that I didn't enjoy it, wouldn't have bothered writing it at all if I didn't, but i'm relieved to be done. Still have two others to finish here online (and one on hold until they're finished), but other stories are taking over my brain so it's gonna be a bit. And I'm not done playing with dimensional travel. Me and my sister used to run simulations of certain characters visiting TV land all the time. That's all the hints of future works you're getting from me for a bit.

Now that my rant and hints are done, I wanna say thanks for reading. I've got explanations at the bottom so I'm not leaving you high and dry. And remember, this was completed before 'Misplaced' aired.

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><p><em><strong>Without Me<strong>_

**Epilogue – Robin Missions**

Over the two years passing since that fateful week, much changed in the League's world, more than they ever thought possible. Robin had given them much to think about, and even more to do.

His intel on past events helped the League identify their new enemy, a group of elite supervillains calling themselves the Light. They were the type to never get their hands dirty, but they were the ones organizing nearly every crisis they faced over the previous year. They even had a hand in creating Superboy, but creation did not mean loyalty.

The boy easily switched sides when Superman arrived and took him away from Cadmus. His admiration for the man of steel, stemming from his DNA and the lessons he received from the G-nomes, grew to outright devotion and childlike love when the man accepted him into his life.

As the boy was far too old to be adopted by Clark Kent, or even claim he was an illegitimate child of his, they gave him the alibi of being his long lost cousin. Fearing the Light would identify him should he be seen in civilian guise in Metropolis, Superboy was sent to the Kent Farm in Smallville, to be officially adopted and raised by his grandparents. They helped Clark pick a suitable civilian name too, but he already knew what it'd be.

Conner Kent.

It wasn't enough though. Being as he was kryptonian, Clark felt he needed a second name. Feeling it shouldn't be too different from his Earth name, they chose together the name Kon-El. The day they picked these names they also decided to make his birthday. No one could tell who was happier that day.

It would be some time before Superboy made his public debut though. Superman felt the boy needed to control his powers first, especially since they would be growing greatly in the next few years. The League agreed this was the best course of action, especially since they already had another child hero to worry over.

It wasn't even a week after Robin left when Barry had taken his nephew to work with him to talk about the bullies at school. Thinking the kid would be safe in his lab, the speedster nearly forgot how he gained his abilities. That is, until a broken live wire hit the window and shattered into the chemicals in his lab, all over Wally. As soon as the boy recovered, he was running wild, and his uncle was running after him. His secret out, Flash accepted the inevitable and started grooming him into being a hero. Into being Kid Flash. He was the first to greet Superboy when he made his grand debut in Metropolis about six months later.

Aquaman didn't just tell the League about his new protégé Aqualad. He told the world. Garth went with him to the UN, initially as a bodyguard for his king, but swiftly displayed his skills and determination when an assassination attempt on the Rhelasian ambassadors took place. He saved both men, then growled at them to stop their bickering and start fixing their pollution problems. The king had a hard time not laughing at the stunned looks on people's faces. Garth usually didn't have that short of a temper, but he was thinking very much of his girlfriend at that moment, and how distant she was becoming of late.

He wasn't the only sidekick to come out of the woodwork either. Some months later, Wonder Woman brought her sister Donna Troy with her to Washington to show her the world of Man. The girl took to this strange new world like a fish to water, quickly integrating herself with the people around her. She fought under the guise of Wonder Girl, helping her sister when she could, but often going off for her own adventures.

She sought out both Conner and Garth on her own. Wally just ran into her for his own amusements. The four talked often and seemed to agree they should make a team of their own. As they were becoming adults shortly, they felt it'd be a good idea to learn to work together and with others, outside of the League's influence and shadow.

They called themselves the Teen Titans.

It wasn't long after the team was formed that J'onn finally found his "niece". M'gann M'orzz wasn't a green Martian, making it harder for the man to find her. She was a white, one of the very rare docile ones at that. She eagerly accepted his offer to leave Mars and go to Earth with him. Her life on the red planet was far worse than they ever imagined and she needed a place to feel safe. What better place than Earth?

She too joined the team in hopes to make great friends, and was shortly joined by one other green skinned ally. The Doom Patrol felt interacting with other children would help their Garfield in the future, so he came by and started hanging out with the Titans as well. Being the youngest didn't phase him in the slightest, but when he found out Superboy was only two, he laughed so hard he became a hyena. They had a hard time stopping the boy of steel from pounding him through the wall that day.

With Beast Boy now part of the group, it seemed there would be no more child heroes for a while. The Teen Titans set up a tower just outside of San Francisco and only listened to individuals in the League, never the collective body. As a group they protected one city, and did a fair job of it. They made mistakes, but always worked to correct them. Donna was a fair and just leader for the team, but everyone's lack of experience worried the world in general.

Still, they were learning. What else could they do?

Beyond just these friends fates were the fate of others Robin told them of. Artemis Crock remained in Juvenile Hall until she graduated high school. Shortly after she was released on parole and never seen again. There were rumors of her meeting the escaped Icicle Jr. and running off somewhere, but even the League wasn't sure where. The girl made certain she disappeared, and did a fine job of it.

Roy Harper though, he was a completely different matter. Dinah took special interest in his life to the point she practically became his mother. After transferring him to a rehab center in Seattle, he tried to run off. The clinic there had special orderlies though, and they made certain he didn't get far. His addiction and fear filled habits made it hard for him to think straight, and though he wanted to come clean and fix his life, it proved more difficult than anyone imagined. His motivation for becoming clean though didn't arrive for seven more months.

Unbeknown to anyone, a baby girl was left on the young man's bed while he was in a therapy session. A note and birth certificate laid beside her. After a quick DNA test provided by Dinah's connections, they knew for a fact the kid belonged to Roy. It only took finding the little girl in his bed to make the man love her unconditionally. When he held her in his arms, every part of him softened and started to warm. He desperately wanted to protect her and raise her properly, but because of his drug addiction the state would forbid any contact with his child.

The note said Lian would be better off with him. It was right. That night began his full resolve to come clean and take custody of his daughter. He was going to do the right thing by her, and nothing would detour him.

Dinah supported him through rehab and took care of his little girl until the day he was released, fully recovered. It wasn't easy, but in the end it was worth it. Even Oliver came in to help out a bit, though the archer's jaw still smarted from Robin's punch. When he saw Roy holding what could have been his granddaughter, his heart started to melt. The changing process on him was starting, slowly. Robin would have been proud.

The League would have liked to say everyone's lives turned out for the better after his encounter with them, but not all did. Zatanna wasn't happy with the boy's leaving and reread his letter of goodbye so often it was nearly worn to pieces. She continued to practice in private and learned what she could to fight, but her father continued to forbid her from joining the superhero community. That is, until the day he vanished.

Zatara's sudden disappearance didn't help the League in the slightest. Zatanna was constantly running around now, trying to find her dad and enlisting everyone's help whenever she had the slightest clue. On occasion the League asked for her spell casting help on different cases, so in a way she was part of the League. She never seemed interested in joining the Titans.

And Bruce? Well he was always a different story.

Batman thought over that week several times over the past two years. He watched the video recordings of his visit often, not wanting to forget Robin even the slightest. He had become fond of the boy, and that was no easy task. When he left, a small hole appeared in his chest. A very small one since he only knew the kid a week.

But it made him think. He really did need something more in his life other than work, work, and more work. More than Gotham, more than Wayne Enterprises, more than the League. Despite the dangers he could possibly put someone in, he needed someone. He needed his home to have some kind of laughter in it, some kind of light, at least on occasion. A stable relationship soon became out of the question since the next time he tried to have one it resulted with one old female friend moving to the other side of the country when she could take it anymore. So he tried another approach.

He volunteered to baby-sit his neighbor's kid.

Timothy Drake was always an inquisitive, and thankfully quiet and clean sort. He took to Alfred quite quickly, but still managed to cause his own kinds of trouble. Sneaking around was one of his many hobbies and talents, especially when it came to taking Alfred's cookies. Seeing how often little Timmy ran off with half a dozen chocolate chips under the butler's nose surprised Bruce to no end. When he was caught, he offered a cookie to his jailer and smiled innocently. This tactic worked well.

The boy was brilliant in his own ways. During many of those days when Bruce took care of the lad, he'd find him reading a larger book or taking an exploration tour around the manor. He had a knack for finding odd ball things lying around, making Bruce fear one day he'd find the Batcave and expose his secret to the world. He found the best way to detour the child was to be with him and encourage other activities. Reading always seemed to be a favorite, but a good mystery movie did the trick as well. And strangely enough, like Bruce he figured out the real culprit in the movie long before the climax.

Batman was thinking of his constant eight year old visitor as he strode down to Crime Alley where his car was parked that night. The previous day Bruce had narrowly escaped discovery when the kid was fiddling with the clock. The time was off and it bothered him. Timmy was a little OCD he realized, not surprising since nearly everything in his life was arranged perfectly. He just wanted to be helpful and fix something for Bruce.

Bruce had made a lame excuse to why the clock was always wrong, but it was enough for now to keep the kid out of the cave. He dreaded to think what the boy would do if he found the computer. The kid was nuts about them. The other day he found him reading a book on computer coding. That wasn't a normal read even for Batman. He was beginning to wonder what his parents were feeding the kid.

As he turned the final corner to his car, he stopped short. His jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Some twelve year old punk was jacking the tires off his car. Jacking because three of the wheels were already off. "Unreal."

At the sound of his voice, the boy jerked to full height, his green eyes locking on the figure down the alleyway. His eyes widened dangerously as CAUGHT wrote itself across his face. "Ah crap!"

Quickly he threw the tool he was using in his hand at Batman (not realizing it was him) and ran out of the alley as fast as he possibly could. Batman sidestepped the bar and followed after the kid. It didn't matter who the kid was. There was no way he was getting away with taking the wheels off his ride. There was only one other thought running through his head as he tracked down the kid.

'_He's not afraid of me. He's just upset about getting caught. Only one other kid has never been afraid of the Batman._'

Part of him grinned there. Here was another kid not afraid of Batman. Maybe he should teach him to be afraid. Or maybe he should just teach him.

THE END

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><p>AN: Thank you all so much for reading 'Without Me' and waiting through the longer than intended hiatus! I wasn't rushing the end, just in case you were wondering. I always planned for it to end after a week in their world. I also planned from the beginning for it to end with Batman finding Jason. Making Timmy part of Batman's future was just something I thought of after someone suggested putting him in the end a few months back. *shrug*

And remember, I _finished this before_ 'Misplaced' aired

Well, here we have a new set of Teen Titans starting up, one without both Robin and Speedy, though the other founders are there. I think Donna would be next in line to be leader under these conditions, even if now Wally is the one with the most experience and maturity (Really, can anyone see Beast Boy being leader?). Under these circumstances, the team couldn't form as Young Justice for covert missions, so only the Titans were an option in my mind. This was also plotted out from the beginning.

Roy's not a hero or a villain in the end. He just an ordinary ex-junkie trying to make his life right for the sake of his daughter. Yes I brought back Lian, I thought it was appropriate. I do believe that after all of this Oliver would give Roy a security job and maybe get to know him, but for the most part the two will remain strangers. Ollie also doesn't get Dinah in the end so their lives aren't going to be like the comics at all.

Zatara did disappear in the comics so I thought the best thing to do for Zatanna is have him vanish and her kinda take his place in the League. I know she's still a kid and could have joined the Titans, but I thought it best she didn't. She's her own girl.

And as for Artemis going out of the picture with Icicle Jr., I believe that's cannon in the comics. Since she took the darker road in this world, it'd make sense for her path to never cross with Wally and therefore no spitfire. In the comics she really did hook up with Jr. and they even have a kid (which nearly kills her). So in a way I kinda set her life back on the original course here. =/ poor girl.

Well, I think I explained everyone! Mostly at least. Thanks again for reading and enduring my ramblings for so long. Now I need to finish the other near novels and get on with life. So many stories, so little time. TTFN! ^^V


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